Here’s Where You Can Protest Roe V Wade In Australia This Week
The first protest kicks off today.
The US Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v Wade case — which granted women the right to terminate a pregnancy — on Friday, giving individual states the right to ban abortion.
The unprecedented move to reverse a ruling made nearly half a century ago has already resulted in at least twenty-six states implementing abortion bans immediately, which stands to impact tens of millions of people in the coming weeks and months.
In addition to a number of states that are now moving to ban abortion, multiple states actually already had their own bans that couldn’t be enforced while Roe v Wade was upheld.
The situation is particularly dire for those living in the south and the midwest, who will likely have to travel hundreds of kilometres to access the vital medical service.
Following the decision to overturn Roe v Wade, millions across the US have protested in the streets. And Australians are set to follow suit, with protests in most major cities scheduled throughout this week.
Could Australia Ban Abortion?
There is no real threat that the overturning of Roe v Wade will impact Australia’s abortion rights. However, Australia’s abortion laws are far from perfect and unlike the US — until this weekend — we don’t actually have a constitutional right to abortion.
According to Human Rights Law Centre associate legal director Adrianne Walters, more work must be done on our own soil to protect the right to abortion.
“In Australia, abortion is protected at the state and territory level, we don’t have a constitutional right to abortion,” Walters told the ABC. “In fact, we don’t have national comprehensive human rights protections in Australia, which is something a lot of people don’t realise.”
All jurisdictions in Australia (apart from Western Australia) have decriminalised abortion, with South Australia being the most recent state to move the procedure into the healthcare system just last year. In Western Australia, you are still required to get two different doctors to sign off on abortion before being allowed to terminate your pregnancy.
Where To Protest Roe V Wade In Australia
If you’re interested in attending one of the abortion rights protests across the country this week, the details are provided below:
Perth – Whadjuk Country/Boorloo
1pm, Monday 27 June at the US Consulate (16 St Georges Terrace)
Melbourne – Naarm
6pm, Friday 1 July at the corner of Bourke and Swanston St
Brisbane – Yuggera Country/Meanjin
5:30pm, Friday 1 July at King George Square
Adelaide – Kaurna Country
5pm, Friday 1 July at Beehive Corner, Rundle Mall
Sydney – Gadigal Country
1pm, Saturday 2 July at Town Hall
Canberra – Ngunnawal Country
12pm, Saturday 2 July at Garema Place
Wollongong – Woolyungah/Dharawal Land
12pm, Saturday2 July at Crown St Amphitheatre