it would allow "unrestricted abortion until the moment of birth". Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said on Sunday it would allow "late-term abortions right up to birth without any real restrictions".But the state's former Director of Public Prosecutions, Nicholas Cowdery, said it was "totally false" and "alarmist" to suggest the bill allowed unrestricted abortions up until birth.
It is lawful for a doctor in NSW to perform a termination in circumstances where they reasonably believe it is "necessary to preserve the woman from a serious danger to life or her physical or mental health". Doctors may also perform a termination on a woman who is more than 22 weeks pregnant if they have have consulted with a second doctor – a new requirement – and both consider the termination "should be performed".
"They merely have to ‘consider’ relevant circumstances. My view is that this wording will therefore allow for an abortion for any reason, unrestricted, up until birth."