Nearly every jurisdiction in Australia has decriminalised or legalised abortion in some way, shape or form.
However, the most populous state or territory in the Land Down Under only allows terminating a pregnancy if a doctor finds a 'economic, social or medical ground or reason that abortion is required to avoid serious danger to the pregnant woman's life or to her physical or mental health'.
The punishment for going outside the legal framework can be up to 10 years in jail.
While there are plenty of women that fall under that category, there are many more who don't and have to travel interstate in order to get the procedure done...until now.
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This week, a bill will be put before the State parliament that will overturn the 117 year ban on abortion.
It has cross-party support, meaning it has a pretty good chance of getting through the system without too much hindrance.
The bill will be introduced by Independent MP Alex Greenwich, who said it's time the state caught up with the rest of the country.
"The fact that we are treating women's reproductive rights as they did in the early 1900s is deeply concerning," Mr Greenwich said. "In 2019 it's time we changed that."
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"The bill ensures women in NSW have access to safe and lawful terminations without the threat of criminal convictions and provides doctors with the legal clarity they have long sought," Mr Greenwich said.
"This is about regulating a medical procedure that currently occurs in NSW."
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