News

THE NSW Pro-Choice Alliance - the peak campaign body for abortion decriminalisation in NSW, representing over 70 health, legal and community organisations - has announced its firm opposition to proposed amendments by cross-bench MLCs to the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill.

New poll shows overwhelming support for abortion law reform, opposition to religious interference.

The vast majority of NSW residents - including 71% of Liberal Party voters - want to see abortion decriminalised, and more than 80% of voters agree people’s religious views shouldn’t impact access to abortion, new polling shows.

The NSW Pro-Choice Alliance has slammed reports the Legislative Council will not vote on the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019 this week and will instead delay the vote until September.

Chair of the Alliance, Wendy McCarthy AO said the delay was a galling back down moments after receipt of the Legislative Council's Standing Committee on Social Issues report which had recommended the Legislative Council consider the bill.

FAMILY Planning NSW CEO Ann Brassil said amendments to the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019 were an attack on women and their health care and would have devastating consequences for the most vulnerable in our community.

THE NSW Pro-Choice Alliance - the peak campaign for abortion decriminalisation in NSW, representing over 70 health, legal and community organisations, has announced their firm opposition to proposed amendments to the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill.

THE NSW Pro-Choice Alliance has condemned moves by a small number of NSW Members of Parliament to delay tabling of the historic Reproductive Healthcare Reform Bill 2019 which has cross-party support and more co-sponsors than any other piece of legislation in the history of the NSW Parliament.

A cross-party bill aiming to decriminalise abortion in NSW has been lauded by NSW Pro-Choice Alliance campaign manager Sinead Canning.

"With support from across parliament for this historic reform, we have the chance to remove abortion from the Crimes Act and finally move our state into the 21st Century.

MOVES to end the 119-year criminalisation of abortion in NSW have been welcomed by the NSW Pro-Choice Alliance.

Family Planning NSW is conducting a study to better understand women's views about the female condom. Family Planning NSW Medical Director Dr Deborah Bateson said the study would provide important information that would help grow our understanding about preferences and user experiences with the female condom, which can be used both for contraception and to prevent sexually tranmitted infections.

Moves to amend the NSW Crimes Act 1900 to give legal personhood to a foetus are unnecessary and present a real risk to women's reproductive rights by opening the possibility of serious criminal prosecution for women who have an abortion.

Peak bodies including Family Planning NSW, Women's Health NSW, the Law Society of New South Wales, Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia and the New South Wales Bar Association are among expert organisations that have formally opposed the Private Members Bill (Zoe's Law) proposing changes to the Crimes Act 1900.

Family Planning NSW Medical Director Dr Deborah Bateson has co-authored Pre-conception care: an important yet underutilised preventative care strategy in the Medical Journal of Australia.

Parental health prior to conception is increasingly recognised as being important for the health of future generations and there are nine key focus areas, Dr Bateson said.

The Outing Disability exhibition is now in its fifth year and it continues to proudly attack the myths and multiple discriminations lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people with a disability can face. This year, with six new participants, the exhibition explores the emerging themes of mental health, disability and identity.

The project is led by Family Planning NSW, and developed with photographer Belinda Mason with support from Inner West Council.

Family Planning NSW has launched eight short videos that aim to break down concerns about accessing reproductive and sexual health care within the multicultural community.

Launched at Fairfield Community Hall today, the videos tell true stories of clients from across south west Sydney, who have used Family Planning NSW services for their own reproductive and sexual health needs.

The use of testosterone replacement therapy has been increasing in Australia, and around the world, since 2000 and new research from Family Planning NSW suggests older men, living in cities may be accessing the therapy outside recommended guidelines.

Testosterone replacement therapy has been shown to be beneficial for men with extremely low testosterone but there is little evidence that it has benefits for other men who have low testosterone due to ageing.

Published in the Australian Journal of General Practice, the research focused on youth in south west and western Sydney. Lead researcher Jessica Botfield said the research clearly showed these young people were worried about being judged by health professionals and said they couldn't talk with family or members of their cultural communities about these issues.

"Migrants, refugees and international students are all at risk of finding it difficult to access sexual and reproductive health services and many fear being judged or having their trust broken by service providers," Ms Botfield said.

In 2015 the United Nations, in collaboration with member nations, set an agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which aim to transform the world by calling on governments, business and civil society to meet a framework of 17 goals and 169 targets to improve the lives of people everywhere by 2030.

To stimulate governments charged with implementing the SDGs, countries participate in a process of Voluntary National Review (VNR) so they can critically analyse progress, future priorities and areas of high need for attention.

This document is a Shadow Report to the Australian Government’s VNR presented at the High Level Political Forum, at the UN in New York, July 2018.

Older men who use online dating at risk of STIs due to low condom use, new research finds.

New research reveals a worrying trend of older men not using condoms or having up to date knowledge about sexually transmissible infections (STIs), with a leading reproductive and sexual health provider calling for funding for a safe sex campaign targeting older men.

Recent reporting about contraceptive use is misleading with extensive evidence showing long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) is safe and effective for most women. Family Planning NSW supports LARC use and strongly encourages women to talk through any concerns they have with experts in reproductive health.

"While LARC is not for everyone, most women find it to be a very safe and effective method of contraception that has other benefits, including reduced menstrual bleeding," said Ms Jodie Duggan, Acting CEO, Family Planning NSW.