The Greens’ abortion bill in New South Wales has suffered a series of setbacks, thanks to fierce opposition and significant amendments that have successfully gutted much of its most alarming provisions. The bill, which passed the Legislative Council with 24 votes in favour and 16 against, has sparked intense debate over its potential to radically expand abortion access while undermining the rights of healthcare workers and Christian institutions.
Dr. Joanna Howe, a prominent critic of the bill, has led the charge against what she describes as a “horrific” piece of legislation that would force Christian healthcare workers out of the system, shut down Christian hospitals, and compel all health professionals to perform abortions—even when it violates their personal and ethical beliefs. Through a series of high-stakes legislative battles, Dr. Howe and her allies have made significant progress in reducing the harmful scope of the bill.
The first major victory for Dr. Howe and anti-abortion activists came when an amendment successfully removed a key provision from the bill that would have granted the Minister for Health the power to force all hospitals to perform abortions. Under this provision, even private or religiously affiliated hospitals could have been compelled to offer abortion services, regardless of their moral stance.
The amendment to strip this power passed with a solid vote of 28 in favour and 11 against. Dr. Howe celebrated the victory, remarking, “One down, three more to go,” indicating the ongoing battle to amend the most damaging aspects of the bill.
Our first VICTORY: We have defeated the provision in the Abortion Law Reform Amendment (Health Care) Access Bill 2019 that would have given the Minister for Health the power to force all hospitals to perform abortions. The Bill has now been amended to remove this provision.… pic.twitter.com/j0icEevswz
— Dr Joanna Howe (@ProfJoannaHowe) May 8, 2025
However, the victory was followed by a disappointing defeat when an amendment to protect nurses and midwives from being compelled to perform abortions was rejected. This provision had been a key concern for those in the healthcare sector who feared the bill would force professionals who entered the field to save lives, not to end them.
Dr. Howe expressed her frustration on social media, criticising NSW Labor and Premier Chris Minns for siding with “the abortion industry, the Greens, and the radical left” over the interests of healthcare professionals. “This is devastating for all of our incredible health workers who went into midwifery and nursing to deliver babies, not to kill them,” she wrote on X.
From a massive high to a horrible low 😭
— Dr Joanna Howe (@ProfJoannaHowe) May 8, 2025
The amendment to prevent nurses and midwives from becoming abortionists has failed.
This is devastating for all of our incredible health workers who went into midwifery and nursing to deliver babies not to kill them. @ChrisMinnsMP and…
Another amendment successfully prevented the expansion of abortion access to unqualified health workers. Initially, the bill had no restrictions on who could perform abortions, raising serious concerns that the procedure could be carried out by those without proper medical training. The amendment to limit abortion services to qualified health professionals passed by an overwhelming vote of 31 in favour and 9 against.
Our second VICTORY: we have just successfully passed yet another amendment to this horrific bill. Although nurses and midwives can still become abortionists under the bill, the parliament has just passed an amendment that prevents other health workers from being corralled into… pic.twitter.com/OEVJhVweBR
— Dr Joanna Howe (@ProfJoannaHowe) May 8, 2025
One of the most significant victories came when an amendment to force doctors to participate in abortion procedures was also defeated. The provision, which would have required doctors to be involved in the “active transfer” of patients seeking abortions, was seen as an attempt to compel all healthcare professionals, regardless of their personal or moral objections, to participate in abortion services.
The amendment to remove this provision passed with a resounding 32 votes in favour and 9 against. Dr. Howe celebrated the result, declaring that it was a “massive victory” for doctors and healthcare workers who oppose being complicit in abortion. “NSW doctors can now breathe a sigh of relief,” she said, knowing they would not be forced into practices that violate their conscience.
Our THIRD victory and this one's HUGE 🔥
— Dr Joanna Howe (@ProfJoannaHowe) May 8, 2025
Amanda Cohn's attempt to force all doctors to become involved in abortion has just been defeated. This is a massive victory for us as it was a key part of her ideological drive to mainstream abortion in healthcare. Killing babies is not… pic.twitter.com/rcpAHzDDE3
Another key amendment removed a provision that would have allowed abortions to be conducted “under the radar” without proper data collection and reporting. This move was seen as an attempt to push abortion services underground, making it more difficult to track the number of procedures being carried out and the potential risks involved.
In the final vote, the amendment was defeated, with a new provision introduced to strengthen data collection requirements around abortions. The amendment passed by a vote of 21 to 19, ensuring that abortion services would remain transparent and subject to oversight.
Our FOURTH victory 🔥
— Dr Joanna Howe (@ProfJoannaHowe) May 8, 2025
The attempt by The Greens to remove data keeping requirements and push abortion underground has FAILED 💪
And instead of covering up abortions, a new amendment by MLC Robert Borsak for better data reporting has PASSED in a dramatic final vote 21:19. This… pic.twitter.com/tgOxf4oVNS
Dr. Howe commended the decision, calling it an “incredible victory” that not only protected transparency but also showed that opponents of the bill could take a bad provision and turn it into a win for public health.
While the battle so far has yielded significant wins for those opposed to the Greens’ abortion bill, the fight is far from over. Dr. Howe acknowledged that the worst part of the bill—provisions that could dramatically increase the number of abortions performed—still remains in play. This final provision, which Dr. Howe argues will be the most devastating for unborn children, will come up for a vote in the Lower House next Tuesday.
“I know there are nurses and midwives across NSW tonight who are genuinely afraid for their future because of what the upper house did tonight,” she said.
“We cannot rest on our laurels now,” Dr. Howe urged her supporters. “We must step up our fight and ensure that our voices are heard in the Lower House. Call, email, and meet with your MPs to make sure they know we will not stand for this bill becoming law.”
The huge opposition to this bill marks a significant shift in the debate in Australia. Dr. Howe has made it clear that the movement against abortion laws is no longer “deflated, quiet, or invisible.” Rather, it has become a powerful force that is “not interested in making nice” but in winning. The recent series of victories in the NSW Upper House demonstrates the growing influence of this movement, with over 10,000 people rallying against the bill in what has been described as one of the largest pro-life gatherings in the state.
As Dr. Howe aptly put it, “The tide is beginning to turn.”
