MEDIA RELEASE
Inquiry into Abortion and Reproductive Choice in the ACT Report - Corrigendum
Mr Johnathan Davis MLA, Chair of the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Health and Community Wellbeing, today tabled a corrigendum to the report of the Inquiry into Abortion and Reproductive Choice in the ACT.
The Committee released its report on 18 April this year. On 24 April, the Committee received correspondence from Martin Bowles, the National CEO of Calvary Health Care.
As a result, the Committee instigated a review of the report and determined that the report does not accurately reflect the evidence of Tamara as part of her submission to the inquiry.
As a consequence of its review, the Committee agreed to issue a corrigendum, which comprises amendments in the report’s chapter concerning Calvary Public Hospital Bruce. These amendments include additional evidence concerning the limitations on reproductive health care services that Calvary Public Hospital Bruce provide.
Specifically, the corrigendum notes that a Canberra patient who made a submission to the Committee’s inquiry was not directly refused post-miscarriage care by Calvary Public Hospital Bruce. Instead, it was the patient’s specialist who advised her that Calvary Public Hospital Bruce would not perform the necessary post-miscarriage procedure because her case was not an emergency.
Mr Davis said, ‘This amendment to the report does not denote a change to the Committee’s recommendation that Calvary Public Hospital Bruce should provide full reproductive health services’, Mr Davis said.
‘The corrigendum to the report reflects the misframing of Tamara’s evidence. The fault by no means lies with the evidence provided by Tamara in her submission’, Mr Davis said.
‘The Committee received 52 submissions to our inquiry. There was significant evidence to support the understanding that reproductive health is a basic human right. There was also evidence that there are tangible barriers to full reproductive health care in the ACT that need to be redressed. This is the premise of the report. This is scaffolded by evidence. Our recommendations remain’. Mr Davis said.
The corrigendum is available on the Inquiry webpage and at Recent Reports ACT Legislative Assembly.
23 JUNE 2023
STATEMENT ENDS.
For further information please contact:
Committee Chair, Mr Johnathan Davis MLA on (02) 6205 0051
Committee Secretary, Dr Adele Chynoweth OAM, on (02) 6207 5498 or at: