Media and News

‘A postcode lottery’: The 17 areas with no abortion access in Victoria
The Age, 7 August 2023
"Hundreds of women in rural and regional Victoria have no access to surgical and medical terminations close to where they live, forcing some to travel for hours to get an abortion..." Read more.

Is this a turning point for sexual and reproductive health in Australia?
Croakey Health Media, 31 May 2023
"In the article below, Carolyn Mogharbel, Manager of 1800 My Options at Women’s Health Victoria, urges the Government to commit to a time-frame in which the recommendations will be actioned, alongside long-term investment to ensure that changes are sustainable..." Read more.

Australian women’s access to abortion is a postcode lottery. Here’s what needs to change
The Conversation, 31 May 2023
"When the American legal precedent protecting women’s right to an abortion in the United States, Roe versus Wade, was overturned last year, women around the world felt anxious. In Australia, despite abortion being legal, there was increasing concern about women’s ability to access abortion. This led to a Senate inquiry into universal access to reproductive health care..." Read more.

Access to these vital health services is a 'postcode lottery'. What needs to change?
SBS News, 26 May 2023
"A parliamentary inquiry report, entitled Ending the Postcode Lottery, was tabled on Thursday, finding contraception and sexual health care services aren't equally available across the country..." Read more.

Senate inquiry to call for improved abortion access at Australia’s public hospitals
The Guardian, 25 May 2023
"Committee also recommends a national telephone service for contraception, pregnancy options including abortion and sexual health..." Read more.

Women's Health Victoria calls for national sexual reproductive health information hotline 
ABC News, 22 May 2023
"A leading Victorian women's health organisation is calling for a national sexual and reproductive information hotline to be established in the wake of a senate inquiry into reproductive health..." Read more.

Ending the postcode lottery: Addressing barriers to sexual, maternity and reproductive healthcare in Australia 
Commonwealth of Australia, May 2023
"Inquiry into the universal access to reproductive healthcare...." Read more.

Supporting Sexual and Reproductive Health: Independent assurance report to Parliament
Victorian Auditor-General’s Office, 17 May 2023
"We examined whether Victorian women can readily access sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and
services to support their health and wellbeing. Agencies examined: Department of Health (the department) and 4 service providers – Women's Health Victoria, Monash Health, Gippsland Lakes Complete Health and Bendigo Community Health Services..." Read more.

Push for more access to early medical abortion support in Grampians amid provision gap 
ABC News, 11 May 2023
"A regional Victorian health organisation wants more support for sexual and reproductive health services in the Grampians, with women having no choice but to travel for early medical abortions..." Read more.

Five years strong for women’s support service
Wyndham Star Weekly, 25 March 2023
"The state government has celebrated a milestone in providing a free and confidential statewide service available to all Victorian women, providing information on contraception, pregnancy options including abortion and sexual health..." Read more.

Five Years Of Free Sexual And Reproductive Health Advice 
Premier of Victoria, 23 March 2023
"More Victorian women are accessing free, trusted, non-judgemental information and advice about their sexual and reproductive health - thanks to the Andrews Labor Government..." Read more.

Proposal to put medical abortion in all GPs’ scope 
The Medical Republic, 28 February 2023
"The TGA is expected to respond within the next few weeks to applications from MS Health that would allow any GP to prescribe medical abortion drugs mifepristone and misoprostol..." Read more.

‘Significant gaps’ in regional health services 
The Weekly Advertiser, 22 February 2023
"A new report has revealed the depth of disadvantage for people living in rural and remote areas of Australia..." Read more.

Settlement Guide: How to access abortion services in Australia 
SBS, 24 January 2023
"Abortion is an essential healthcare service in Australia. Women have access to termination options early in the pregnancy, but navigating choices to suit personal circumstances isn’t always straightforward..." Read more.
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Abortion a pain point for region, says GP Amanda Cohn, as RACGP submits to senate inquiry
The Border Mail, 29 December 2022
"Inadequate health services in NSW are forcing patients into Victoria, says an Albury general practitioner, who has called on the state government to "catch up" to conditions across the river..." Read more.

Male contraceptive being trialled in Melbourne dubbed a game changer by researchers
ABC News, 11 November 2022
"A Melbourne hospital is trialling what it says is the world's first injectable male contraceptive..." Read more.

Abortion is healthcare, not moral issue. Patient safety depends on healthcare privacy
The Mirage, 10 November 2022
"Recent news that Medibank customers’ private data, including their use of abortion services, has been published on the dark web by hackers risks the safety of abortion patients..." Read more.

“I instantly went into a panic”: women in regional areas struggle to get access to abortions
The City Journal, 21 August 2022
"Abortion may be legal in Australia, but many women cannot count on accessing it. Melissa Lewis, 32, knew from “the second I found out I was pregnant”, that she would be getting an abortion. Already a mother of three children, the youngest only recently turning one, and on contraception, the pregnancy was a surprise. The decision to get an abortion was a “a very easy, no brainer decision”. Accessing an abortion, however, was not as easy..." Read more.

New global study compares Australia’s support for abortion
The Herald Sun, 17 August 2022
"Australia’s support for abortion has come under a spotlight following the recent roll back of Roe vs Wade in the US, but what do we really think about the controversial procedure? Australian adults have voiced strong support for abortion, well above the global average, according new Ipsos global survey..." Read more.

Dianne Hill CEO Women’s Health Victoria on access to women’s services
Saturday Magazine, 3 July 2022
"Dianne Hill CEO Women’s Health Victoria speaks with David and Tass on Roe v Wade and implications for Victoria and access to abortion at clinics..." Listen here.

Victorian abortion sector statement on Roe v. Wade
Women's Health Victoria Media Release, 27 June 2022
"Abortion in Australia is legal, and must remain accessible.There is no place for misinformation and stigma in healthcare. The Victorian abortion sector is extremely concerned to see the news that landmark abortion access legislation in America, known as Roe v. Wade, has been overturned..." Read more. 

Australia’s politicians must commit to upholding abortion rights
Women's Agenda, 10 May 2022
"Looking at the alarming situation in the US highlights just why we must keep abortion and reproductive rights on the national policy agenda and public discourse here in Australia..." Read more. 

Planning Ahead
The House of Wellness, Summer 2022
"There are many options when it comes to contraception. We ask the experts to explain the different categories to help you make informed choices about birth control..." Read more. 

World AIDS Day: The Australian Picture
Retail Pharmacy Magazine, 1 December 2021
"On World AIDS Day, one Australian condom company is asking us to consider how pandemics and health crises – from Covid-19 to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) – have shaped Australian society today..." Read more. 

Dial 1800 My Options for Your Sexual Health Concerns
Meld Magazine, 24 September 2021
"During the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing phone calls from international students to sexual and reproductive health services have revealed a persisting lack of sexual education within the international student community...." Read more. 

Home schooling, job loss, pandemic fear drove quadrupling of abortion calls
The Sydney Morning Herald, 21 October 2021
"Job losses and home schooling pressure helped drive a quadrupling of calls for abortion counselling early in the pandemic, including three times more calls from women over 18 weeks pregnant..." Read more. 

Changes in women’s health service seeking behaviours and the impact of telehealth during COVID-19: Insights from the 1800MyOptions service
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 16 October 2021
"The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased demand for pregnancy options counselling, more women presenting at later gestation and increased referrals for telehealth early medical abortions..." Read more. 

Better sexual and reproductive health - just a phone call away
Prevention Victoria, 5 July 2021
"1800 My Options was launched in March 2018, as part of a Victorian government strategy to reduce the barriers affecting women's access to sexual and reproductive health services, including knowledge, cost, and travel...." Read more. 

Breanna had two kids by 19. Expecting her fourth, she wants sex ed for regional youth
The Age, 20 June 2021
"By the age of 19, Breanna Macfarlane had two children she had not planned and had left a high school in north-western Victoria where she says she and her peers received near zero education on sex, consent, contraception or reproductive health..." Read more. 

Early medical abortion: telehealth restrictions discriminatory
InSight+, 21 September 2020
"Telehealth restrictions introduced by the federal Department of Health on 20 July 2020 discriminate against women seeking early medical abortion (EMA), making an already hard to access procedure even more out of reach..." Read more. 

What students need to know about sexual health
Study Melbourne, September 2020
"To answer common questions that international students have about sexual health, Study Melbourne Ambassador Darren Lee spoke with Carolyn Mogharbel..." Read more.

Be Proud of Your Choices - Empowering young people in rural Victoria
University of Melbourne, 31 August 2020
"Consultations with young people have been key to creating a campaign addressing the sexual health issues of young people in rural Victoria wanting to know more about privacy and confidentiality, STI tests, contraception, pregnancy options and abortion..." Read more.

There are fears coronavirus is stopping Australia's migrant women from accessing abortions
SBS News, 26 April 2020
"Financial hardship caused by COVID-19 is impacting women across the country, particularly migrants who do not qualify for welfare support. Health providers fear it may impact those seeking an abortion and may even encourage unsafe terminations...." Read more.

Doctors Can Already Turn Away Women Seeking Contraception Or An Abortion. So What Will Australia's Religious Discrimination Bill Do?
BuzzFeed News, 6 February 2020
"Doctors in Australia can already object on religious grounds to providing contraception and abortion. In fact, several doctors have signs in their offices outlining that they will not see patients about contraception, abortion, sterilisation or in-vitro fertilisation..." Read more.

'Our work has identified a lot of gaps': Women's Health Grampians advocates for more abortion services
The Ararat Advertiser, 7 November 2019
"A Wimmera women's health advocacy group says more abortion options are needed..." Read more.

Calling for advocacy and action on inequities in abortion care
Croakey, 18 October 2019
"Australian women face harmful inequities in access to abortion care, and obstetricians, gynaecologists and their College must do much more to push for change, a major meeting of women’s health specialists has been told..." Read more.

The only sexual health clinic in Victoria that's free for all is so busy, people are being turned away
ABC News, 12 October 2019
"Victoria has just one free, government-funded sexual health clinic that anyone can drop into — for a population of more than six million people..." Read more.

Experts warn proposed Religious Discrimination Bill could hurt those trying to access reproductive healthcare
Fair Agenda, 10 October 2019
"Women’s groups and legal experts have warned that provisions in the proposed Religious Discrimination Bill will increase barriers to reproductive healthcare access..." Read more.

What are the laws on abortion in Australia?
The Sydney Morning Herald, 1 August 2019
"The laws on abortion vary by state. Which one is the most progressive and where is abortion still a crime?..." Read more.

We Might Be Getting A National Abortion Hotline. This State Is Successfully Running Its Own
BuzzFeed News, 15 May 2019
"A woman with an unwanted pregnancy to a violent partner, who doesn’t have enough money to pay a private provider for a surgical abortion; a woman whose period is two weeks late..." Read more.

When Women's Rights Collide With Doctors
University of Melbourne: Health & Wellbeing, 31 January 2019
"Victorian doctors have the right to conscientiously object if a woman comes to them seeking an abortion – but some are interpreting this as the right to obstruct..." Read more.

Some Vic doctors breaking the law re abortion
Hospital Health, 31 January 2019
"A new study has found that a number of Victorian doctors who conscientiously object to abortion could be breaking the law, due to not referring their patients onto another health professional who doesn’t object..." Read more.

New phone service for women to get confidential health advice
The Herald Sun (republished by Sexual Health Victoria), 8 May 2018
"The state government will today launch the 1800 My Options helpline offering women information on contraception, where to get an abortion, counselling and other services..." Read more.