Victoria To Offer Free Abortion Care Up To 16 Weeks
Victoria will become the first Australian state to provide free abortion care, with the Coalition matching Labor's pledge to cover all out-of-pocket costs up to 16 weeks' gestation, regardless of the November election outcome.
The Victorian opposition has confirmed it will match Labor's commitment to cover all out-of-pocket costs for abortion care up to 16 weeks' gestation. This means Victoria will become the first state in Australia to make access to abortion care free, regardless of who wins the November election. Opposition leader Jess Wilson confirmed the policy on Thursday afternoon. The commitment includes GP and specialist consultations, scans, tests, and medication. These costs can quickly add up to more than $1,000.
Abortion was decriminalised in Victoria in 2008. Pregnancy termination is currently possible up to the 24th week of pregnancy, and later with the agreement of two doctors. The new commitment covers both medical and surgical abortions up to 16 weeks. Medication abortion is currently subsidised through Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, but only for use up to nine weeks.
Regional travel support included
Women in regional Victoria will be eligible for subsidies to cover travel and accommodation costs for abortion care. The Coalition will expand the Victorian patient transport assistance scheme for this purpose. This aims to address the additional barriers faced by those living outside metropolitan areas.
Policy extends beyond current limits
The commitment to cover costs up to 16 weeks exceeds the current Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme limit of nine weeks for medication abortion. However, the opposition has stated it will not match Labor's commitment to extend access to medication abortion from nine to 10 weeks' gestation. It also will not support a clinical review into the safety of offering medication abortion up to 12 weeks, despite World Health Organization guidelines allowing for it up to that point.
Reactions and political context
Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell said she was grateful Jess Wilson met the moment with grace and eased the anxiety of women across the state. She and Legalise Cannabis MP Rachel Payne had previously released a report recommending free abortion care. Labor's health minister, Ingrid Stitt, announced her party's $30 million, four-year investment on Thursday morning, designed to resolve what she called a 'postcode lottery' of access.
Stitt suggested One Nation could use abortion as a negotiating chip in a hung parliament, claiming only Labor would protect a woman's right to choose. Polling shows the Liberals and One Nation could only form a government together, and One Nation wants to make abortion a criminal offence. Premier Ben Carroll warned that One Nation posed a threat to abortion access. In response, Jess Wilson stated clearly, "Victorians know where I stand on this issue. There will be no changes to abortion laws under a government I lead. Full stop."
The Australian Capital Territory began covering out-of-pocket costs for abortion care in 2023. Victoria's policy, once implemented, will make it the first state to do so. Affordability was identified as a key barrier to access at a government symposium on abortion care last year. The announcement follows years of work by the government, including establishing 20 sexual and reproductive health hubs and a mobile clinic. The opposition's commitment ensures the policy will proceed irrespective of the election result.
