Debate over abortion law
AN abortion pill campaigner says the charging of a young woman for organising her own miscarriage highlights the need to change laws that make criminals out of victims.
Tegan Simone Leach, 19, faced Cairns Magistrates’ Court yesterday on a charge of procuring her own miscarriage while her partner Sergie Brennan, 21, is charged with attempting to procure an abortion and supplying drugs to procure an abortion.
All the offences carry a maximum penalty of 14 years’ jail.
Should abortion be a crime? Have your say
But Cairns gynaecologist Caroline de Costa, who was the first doctor in Australia to legally dispense the controversial abortion drug RU486 after years of lobbying to have its ban lifted, said Queensland needed to follow Victoria’s lead and take abortion out of the criminal code. "Abortion should not be a crime; it should be controlled by the same health regulations that control things like removing an appendix or treating pneumonia," Dr de Costa said.
"It is the only part of our health care that is in the criminal code."
Police have alleged Mr Brennan organised for his sister to obtain the abortion pill misoprostol from her doctor in the Ukraine and smuggle it into Australia on a flight to Cairns on December 25.
He then allegedly gave it to Ms Leach, who used it successfully to induce a miscarriage at 60 days.
It is alleged the Mt Sheridan couple decided they were too young to have a child but made no inquiries to the lawful process of having an abortion in Cairns.
Empty packets of misoprostol tablets, painkillers and lengthy instructions written in Ukrainian were allegedly found during a police search of the couple’s Hay St home on March 30.
Medical abortions are legal in Australia but only under the supervision of prescribing doctors.
Dr de Costa said it had been many years since she had heard of a woman being charged for performing an abortion on herself.
"It was quite common up until the 1960s and many women died from backyard abortions," she said.
"But now women can have abortions legally, safely and privately."
The couple’s charges have been adjourned until June 11.
Share this article
New Jetstar flights between Cairns and Osaka
THE re-introduction of Jetstar's four weekly direct services to Osaka in Japan and a doubling of flights to Melbourne from April 1 next year are the first significant announcements today by the airline as the result of a new agreement with Cairns Airport.
Kate earns National Pride Medal
INSPIRING young leader and cancer survivor Kate Smith could hardly believe she won a national Pride of Australia medal last night.
Escapee back in custody
BREAKING NEWS: Police have found a man who escaped from police custody at Ravenshoe on Sunday night.
Woman watched boyfriend bash, strip tourist
THE girlfriend of a man accused of raping and attempting to rape two foreign tourists at a Cairns caravan park says she watched him bash and strip one of them then chase after her.
