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Over three-in-five Australians (62%) believe the ‘Abortion Pill’ (RU486) should be made available to Australian women, while 31% believe it should not be made available and 7% can’t say.

The latest Morgan Poll finds that more men than women (65% cf 58%) believe the ‘Abortion Pill’ should be made available to Australian women.  However, men and women are likeminded on surgical abortion, with 65% each (unchanged since 1998) approving of the termination of unwanted pregnancies through surgical abortion, while 22% disapprove of surgical abortion and 13% can’t say.

On the issue of whether abortion laws should be changed, 45% of Australians believe that they should be changed to make it easier to obtain an abortion, 39% believe the law should remain as it is, only 10% believe they should be changed to make it harder to obtain an abortion and 6% are unable to say.

Gary Morgan says:

 “Although the majority of Australians (62%) believe the ‘Abortion Pill’ should be made available to Australian women, slightly more Australians (65%) approve of surgical abortion for the termination of unwanted pregnancies.  Roy Morgan Qualitative Research shows some Australians obviously have concerns about the safety of the ‘Abortion Pill’.

“This finding comes as the Therapeutic Goods Amendment Bill passed through the Senate.  The bill will be referred to the House of Representatives next week.  MP’s are now aware that a majority of Australians believe the ‘Abortion Pill’ should be made available to Australian women.”

Of those who believe the ‘Abortion Pill’ should be made available to Australian women, many mentioned that it is a safer and less invasive option than surgical abortion, with comments such as: “I think a pill is a hell of a lot safer than surgery”, “It will save women having surgery.  It is inevitable that abortions are going to happen, so they should be done as safely as possible”, “It is less traumatic for patients.  If you are going to have an abortion then you are going to have it — whether it is surgically or otherwise”, “Because surgery is quite invasive”, “It reduces the risk to women to avoid having surgical abortions” and “It would be easier than going into surgery, and less harmful on the mother”.

Others commented that women have the right to choose RU486 as an abortion option, commenting:  “Women should be able to make their own choices.  Surgical abortions have a stigma — this would make it easier”, “Every woman should be able to make their own decision — not politicians!”, “It’s the woman’s right to do what she wants — not a Government issue”, “It’s the woman’s choice.  The death rate is minimal — Aspirin has a higher death rate”, “It is freedom of choice.  As long as it is not used as birth control, then yes” and “The ethics of the situation are rather difficult, but the whole aspect of it is something that must be decided by the individual person not a small group of people who believe they know better”.

Some respondents think the ‘Abortion Pill’ should be made available depending on the woman’s circumstances, saying: “I only agree if the pill is being used for the right reasons eg.  If the mother has to stay alive.  I don’t agree if it was to be used for unwanted pregnancies”, “It depends on the age.  Minors should not have access unless they have consent”, “It depends on the particulars of the person involved — there should be strict criteria”, “In certain circumstances — for anybody who has been raped, people with mental health, women with down syndrome and women who are going through change of life and will be too old to care properly for a teenage child” and “It should be made available in certain circumstances and after the woman has been counseled.  It should not be made freely available over the counter”.

Of the Australians who believe the ‘Abortion Pill’ should not be made available, many were pro life and against any form of abortion: “I am totally 100% opposed to abortion.  I happen to think that it is killing and I am opposed to killing”, “Because it’s murder”, “I am against abortion unless the mother’s life and unborn baby’s life is at danger”, “I believe if a soul is over 21 days old it is a life and it shouldn’t be allowed”, “Human life is when it is conceived.  I believe in freewill, but there are other birth control pills.  People have to take responsibility for their actions” and “Because I think life is very precious and I just don’t believe in abortion.  I don’t believe in taking a life of any kind”.

Many respondents had concerns about the safety of the ‘Abortion Pill’, saying: “I don’t think it has been researched properly and I don’t think women should be made guinea pigs to test it”, “Because it has side effects.  In general I think an abortion pill is fine, but this one specifically has problems”, “They say a lot of people have died from it in America.  They should do more tests before they put it on the market” and “There hasn’t been enough research into the problems it can create for women”.

Others commented that the “Abortion Pill’ would be too easy an option and may lead to promiscuity and regret: “Stick to surgery.  With a pill less thought would go into having an abortion.  Surgery requires thinking about”, “It is a bit easier to take a pill rather than going through the whole surgical procedure.  It may be something they regret”, “Abortion shouldn’t be made so easy to get access to”, “Because it is making it easier to.  It is not letting young people or anyone take responsibility for their actions.  If it is freely available it will create an easy way out” and “If abortion is too easy, people will get knocked up and won’t take as much care practicing safe sex”.

This special telephone Morgan Poll was conducted on the evenings of February 8-9, 2006, with an Australia-wide sample of 667 respondents aged 14 and over.                         

Do You Approve Or Disapprove Of The Termination Of Unwanted Pregnancies Through Surgical Abortion?

Respondents were first asked:  “Next thinking about the termination of unwanted pregnancies through surgical abortion.  Do you approve or disapprove of the termination of unwanted pregnancies through surgical abortion?”

	Total All People 14+	Total All People 14+	Total All People 14+	Total All People 14+
	Feb 1995	Feb 1996	Feb 1998	8-9 Feb 2006
	%	%	%	%
Approve of Surgical Abortion	55	57	65	65
Disapprove of Surgical Abortion	32	33	25	22
Can’t say	13	10	10	13
Total	100	100	100	100

Sixty-five percent each of men and women approve of surgical abortion for the termination of unwanted pregnancies.  Analysis by age shows that Australians aged 35-49 were the most likely (70%) to approve of surgical abortion, with those aged 18-24  the least likely (63%).

	Total All People 14+	Analysis by Sex and Age
	8-9 Feb 2006	Men	Women	14-17#	18-24	25-34	35-49	50+
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Approve of Surgical Abortion	65	65	65	64	63	69	70	60
Disapprove of Surgical Abortion	22	20	24	28	29	20	18	23
Can’t say	13	15	11	8	8	11	12	17
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution

People living in capital cities were more likely that those in country areas (66% cf 63%) to approve of surgical abortion. West Australians were the most likely (71%) to approve of surgical abortion, with people from New South Wales the least likely (59%).

	Total All People 14+	Analysis by Region and State
	8-9 Feb 2006	Capital Cities	Country Areas	NSW	Vic	Qld	SA/NT	WA	Tas#
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Approve of Surgical Abortion	65	66	63	59	69	67	64	71	64
Disapprove of Surgical Abortion	22	22	23	24	22	21	25	17	19
Can’t say	13	12	14	17	9	12	11	12	17
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100

Analysis by voting intention shows that Greens supporters were the most likely (84%) to approve of surgical abortion for the termination of unwanted pregnancies, with Family First supporters the least likely (45%).

	Total All People 14+	Analysis by Federal Voting Intention
	8-9 Feb 2006	L-NP	ALP	Aust. Dems#	The Greens	One Nation#	Family First#	Ind/ Other#	No Answer
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Approve of Surgical Abortion	65	66	64	60	84	68	45	60	61
Disapprove of Surgical Abortion	22	22	22	14	5	21	49	25	27
Can’t say	13	12	14	26	11	11	6	15	12
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution

Should Law Be Changed To Make It Easier Or Harder To Obtain An Abortion?

Respondents were then asked:  “Currently in most Australian States abortions are illegal unless the mother’s life is in danger.  In your opinion, do you think the law on abortion should be changed to make it easier to obtain an abortion, harder to obtain an abortion or do you think the law should remain as it is?”

	Total All People 14+	Total All People 14+
	Feb 1998	8-9 Feb 2006
	%	%
Easier to obtain an abortion	47	45
Remain as is	38	39
Harder to obtain an abortion	10	10
Can’t say	5	6
Total	100	100

Analysis by age shows that those aged 25-34 were the most likely (50%) to think the law should be changed to make it easier to obtain an abortion, while those aged over 50 were the least likely (40%).

	Total All People 14+	Analysis by Sex and Age
	8-9 Feb 2006	Men	Women	14-17#	18-24	25-34	35-49	50+
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Easier to obtain an abortion	45	45	45	46	45	50	49	40
Remain as is	39	39	39	42	39	40	36	40
Harder to obtain an abortion	10	9	11	11	15	4	8	12
Can’t say	6	7	5	1	1	6	7	8
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution

Australians living in capital cities were more likely than those living in country areas (47% cf 43%) to think the law should be changed to make it easier to obtain an abortion.  Tasmanians were the most likely (56%) and Victorians the least likely (44%) to think the law should be changed to make it easier to obtain an abortion.

	Total All People 14+	Analysis by Region and State
	8-9 Feb 2006	Capital Cities	Country Areas	NSW	Vic	Qld	SA/NT	WA	Tas
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Easier to obtain an abortion	45	47	43	45	44	48	40	46	56
Remain as is	39	37	41	36	41	35	50	46	24
Harder to obtain an abortion	10	10	10	11	8	14	5	5	12
Can’t say	6	6	6	8	7	3	5	3	8
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100

 Analysis by voting intention shows that Greens supporters were the most likely (59%) to think the law should be changed to make it easier to obtain an abortion, whilst Family First supporters were the least likely (18%).

	Total All People 14+	Analysis by Federal Voting Intention
	8-9 Feb 2006	L-NP	ALP	Aust. Dems#	The Greens	One Nation#	Family First#	Ind/ Other#	No Answer
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Easier to obtain an abortion	45	45	42	52	59	41	18	51	50
Remain as is	39	41	40	48	28	35	62	30	34
Harder to obtain an abortion	10	8	11	-	7	13	20	15	9
Can’t say	6	6	7	-	6	11	-	4	7
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution

Australians who approve of surgical abortion were far more likely to think the law should be changed to make it easier to obtain an abortion than those who disapprove of surgical abortion (64% cf 4%).

	Total All People 14+	Analysis By View On Surgical Abortion
	8-9 Feb 2006	Approve	Disapprove	Can’t say
	%	%	%	%
Easier to obtain an abortion	45	64	4	26
Remain as is	39	29	60	48
Harder to obtain an abortion	10	3	31	7
Can’t say	6	4	5	19
Total	100	100	100	100

Should Abortion Pill Be Made Available To Australian Women?

Respondents were then asked:  “Now thinking about the ‘Abortion Pill’.  There is currently a proposal to introduce the drug RU486, also known as the ‘Abortion Pill’, into Australia.  Do you think the ‘Abortion Pill’ should be made available to Australian Women, or not?”

Men were more likely (65%) than women (58%) to think the ‘Abortion Pill’ should be made available to Australian women.  Analysis by age shows that those aged 35-49 were the most likely (70%) to think the ‘Abortion Pill should be made available, with those aged 18-24 the least likely (51%).

	Total All People 14+	Analysis by Sex and Age
	8-9 Feb 2006	Men	Women	14-17#	18-24	25-34	35-49	50+
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Yes, make available	62	65	58	53	51	68	70	58
No, not make available	31	28	34	40	42	28	23	33
Can’t say	7	7	8	7	7	4	7	9
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution

Australians living in capital cities were more likely than their country counterparts (63% cf 59%) to think the ‘Abortion Pill’ should be made available to Australian women.  Victorians were the most likely (70%) and South Australians the least likely (54%) to think the ‘Abortion Pill’ should be made available.

	Total All People 14+	Analysis by Region and State
	8-9 Feb 2006	Capital Cities	Country Areas	NSW	Vic	Qld	SA/NT	WA	Tas
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Yes, make available	62	63	59	58	70	60	54	62	64
No, not make available	31	29	34	34	28	32	33	26	28
Can’t say	7	8	7	8	2	8	13	12	8
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100

 Analysis by voting intention shows that Democrats supporters were the most likely (75%) to think the ‘Abortion Pill should be made available, whilst Family First supporters were the least likely (46%).

	Total All People 14+	Analysis by Federal Voting Intention
	8-9 Feb 2006	L-NP	ALP	Aust. Dems#	The Greens	One Nation#	Family First#	Ind/ Other#	No Answer
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Yes, make available	62	58	67	75	70	67	46	61	53
No, not make available	31	33	28	-	19	33	48	33	41
Can’t say	7	9	5	25	11	-	6	6	6
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution

Australians who approve of surgical abortion were more likely to think the ‘Abortion Pill’ should be made available to Australian women than those who disapprove of surgical abortion (78% cf 19%).

	Total All People 14+	Analysis By View On Surgical Abortion
	8-9 Feb 2006	Approve	Disapprove	Can’t say
	%	%	%	%
Yes, make available	62	78	19	50
No, not make available	31	17	74	28
Can’t say	7	5	7	22
Total	100	100	100	100

The above tables show Australians’ attitudes towards Surgical Abortion and the 'Abortion Pill', analysed by Sex, Age, Region, State and Federal Voting Intention.

The complete analysis of results by demographics and regions is available on subscription.

The Morgan Poll is conducted by the ONLY Australian member of the Gallup International Association.

No Other public opinion poll taken in Australia has this qualification.

© 2007 Roy Morgan Research. All Rights Reserved
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