In my time as a Parliamentarian, the issue of abortion law has come around a few times.
And today it comes around again in the form of the Termination of Pregnancy (Restrictions on Terminations After 24 Weeks and 6 Days) Amendment Bill 2026.
At times the debate has been incredibly emotional and intensely personal.
And in particular for me as I travelled along a fertility path – not knowing if I would ever have my son Quinn.
On one occasion, in the wee hours of the morning, I recall speaking on such a bill having only just endured another miscarriage.
It is very difficult to lose a child or not be able to give life to a much wanted child, and simultaneously consider the position of others who may not wish to continue a pregnancy.
So it is not lost on me that when we stand in this place, we make decisions that affect the lives of South Australians.
I’d like to recognise that there will undoubtedly be people in this place who have had to grapple with fertility decisions - often not known to those sharing the benches - and that these debates can be very taxing, and even distressing.
And those experiences and challenges felt in here, reflect what’s happening out there in our communities at any one time.
Right now across my community and all others, there will be families – and women in particular – facing tough circumstances and difficult decisions in relation to fertility health care.
And no matter the position we may arrive at on this vote, we should remind ourselves that this is a vote of some weight and consequence.
For that reason and many more, I appreciate the Premier declaring this matter as a conscience vote – which I feel recognises the deeply personal nature of this matter.
Today I received this email from Sophie from Kurralta Park:
“I am a constituent in your electorate and am writing to ask that you oppose the Termination of Pregnancy (Restrictions on Terminations After 24 Weeks and 6 Days) Amendment Bill 2026 and support the continuation of South Australia’s current abortion laws.
The current law already provides safeguards for later-term abortions, requiring medical oversight and professional assessment. These situations are often complex, distressing, and involve serious medical, fetal, or personal circumstances.
I am concerned that this bill would reduce access to essential healthcare and remove important options for women facing some of the most difficult situations of their lives. I trust doctors and patients to make these decisions, based on medical evidence and individual circumstances, rather than having additional restrictions imposed through legislation.
As a woman, I believe reproductive healthcare decisions should remain with patients and medical professionals.
South Australia’s current framework was developed to treat abortion as a healthcare matter rather than a criminal or political issue. I believe that approach should be maintained.
I respectfully ask that you vote against this bill and any future attempts to restrict access to reproductive healthcare in South Australia.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my views. I would appreciate hearing your position on this matter and how you intend to vote.”
This is one of many similar emails I’ve received lately on this topic, and many more I’ve received over almost a decade.
Sophie’s email is not flowery, but it states very simply her position.
So to Sophie – and to the several hundred folks who’ve contacted me today – I am happy to share my position with you.
I support the right of women to decide what happens to our own bodies.
I support the right of women to make difficult health care decisions with the support of our medical professionals.
I believe abortion care is health care.
And I recognise the acutely heartbreaking circumstances in which such decisions are made.
But I am not ignorant to the positions held by people who’ve arrived at a different position. I respect that the reasons you’ve arrived at your position – by and large – come from a place of love, care and careful consideration.
And I sincerely thank those in my community who have engaged thoughtfully and passionately in the debate – even from a point of view that might not be shared by most others in my electorate.
I realise that my vote here may lose me your support, but I hope you will recognise in me a representative who is well-considered, well-researched and principled.
After all, we are not sent to this place to make the easy decisions, but to make the hard ones.
I am entirely confident that the position I hold is overwhelmingly the position of my electorate. Having served in this place for eight years now and having gone through seemingly constant consideration of such Bills, I am convinced of this.
And in fact, over that time I believe my electorate has become even more settled in its view of supporting women to make the tough decision to terminate, as needed.
In fact, increasingly, the view I hear from my electorate is that they feel this matter is settled. The feedback I get is they’d like to see the Parliament get back to working to reduce the cost of living, providing high-quality public services like education and health, making good decisions about sensible planning, and working to protect our environment.
And I look forward to getting back to that important work for Badcoe.
So with that, I oppose this Bill and I urge all others in this place to do so too.