Abortion has been removed from Western Australia’s criminal code and access will be easier for women, in sweeping reforms passed by the state parliament.

The amended laws to address inequity bring WA into line with other jurisdictions and remove unnecessary clinical barriers, Premier Roger Cook says.

“It is clear that the community and Western Australian women want these reforms,” he said.

“My government’s contemporary reforms will ensure that our state has modern laws that reflect the society we live in.”

Under the changes, the number of health practitioners required to be involved in most abortion care has been reduced from two to one.

The requirement for mandatory counselling and ministerial and panel approval for later-term abortions has been abolished.

The new laws also allow health practitioners to conscientiously object and refuse to provide treatment, but they must transfer the patient to another service provider or give them information on where to access it.

The gestational time at which additional requirements apply has also been amended from 20 to 23 weeks, to best reflect current clinical practice.

Abortion is also no longer a crime, but it will still remain an offence for an unqualified person to perform or assist with the procedure.

– AAP