Health (Patient Privacy) Amendment Act 2015
| Health (Patient Privacy) Amendment Act 2015 | |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly | |
| |
| Citation | A2015-43 |
| Passed | 29 October 2015 |
| Assented to | 4 November 2015 |
| Introduced by | Shane Rattenbury MLA, Attorney-General |
| Introduced | 17 September 2015 |
| Status: Current legislation | |
The Health (Patient Privacy) Amendment Act 2015 is an act of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly relating to the legal protection of access to abortion.[1]
Provisions
[edit]The act amended the Health Act 1993.[2]
Unlike other legislation relating to safe access zones in Australia, the provisions under the ACT legislation only apply during specific periods: between 7am and 6pm on days the facility is open, with the Minister able to designate other times.[3]
Unlike other jurisdictions in Australia, safe access zones in the ACT are of radius 50 metres rather than 150 metres.[4]
Shane Rattenbury described the legislation as being about medical privacy rather than restricting protest.[5]
Reception
[edit]The leader of the opposition, Jeremy Hanson, raised concerns about restrictions on free speech.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ Sifris, Ronli (30 November 2015). "State by state, 'safe access zones' around clinics are shielding women from abortion protesters". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 6 December 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ Ottley, Emily (6 September 2022). "Fixed Buffer Zone Legislation: A Proportionate Response to Demonstrations Outside Abortion Clinics in England and Wales?". Medical Law Review. 30 (3): 509–533. doi:10.1093/medlaw/fwac019. ISSN 0967-0742. PMC 9447846. PMID 35748349.
- ^ Landrigan, Mitchell (1 March 2016). "Protests outside Abortion Clinics: Constitutionally Protected Speech?". Alternative Law Journal. 41 (1): 8–12. doi:10.1177/1037969X1604100103. ISSN 1037-969X.
- ^ King, Allie Daisy (8 November 2024). "A guide to abortion laws in Australia: State-by-state breakdown". Missing Perspectives. Archived from the original on 18 March 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ^ a b Cornish, Ruby (29 October 2015). "Canberra abortion clinics to get protest-free 'privacy zones' as laws pass ACT Legislative Assembly". ABC News. Archived from the original on 30 October 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2025.