NSW Upper House members give the nod for 150-metre no-protest zones to surround abortion clinics

The approval by the Legislative Council followed five hours of argument which saw protests at Albury’s Englehardt Street reproductive rooms referred to as a “flashpoint” in the debate.

Labor member John Graham, who went to Albury High School, made the comment.

“I grew up in Albury and I was a member of the local church community,” Mr Graham, now a Sydneysider, said.

“In fact, I served at St Patrick's Church as an altar boy for some years.

“One of the great things about living in Albury was the sense of community — which is not always evident in the city — and people knowing and looking out for each other.

“However, that also brings its own pressures because everyone knows everyone else's business.”

Mr Graham said Albury’s situation highlighted why exclusion zones, which would stop protests within 150 metres of abortion clinics, were needed.

His point of view proved to be the majority with a vote passed on the ayes rather than a formal count.

An earlier motion to have the bill referred to a legal affairs committee for review was lost 26-12.

Greens member David Shoebridge also cited the experience of the Albury clinic in his speech and highlighted a Community Legal Centres submission.

It stated: “Picketing of the clinic by the Helpers of God's Precious Infants for over a decade and non-consensual filming of patients has led to people (particularly teenagers) being too afraid to attend the clinic and in some cases has caused people to self-harm or attempt suicide as they felt trapped by their situation — unable to have the procedure done within Albury, and lacking the resources to travel elsewhere.”

Albury privacy rights campaigner Liz Marmo flew to Sydney to witness the debate.

“I wanted to be there to witness politicians seriously listening and taking on board the evidence,” she said.

The bill is now expected to be debated in the Lower House in early June.