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WA Premier Mark McGowan in security scare at university

Angie RaphaelNCA NewsWire
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Camera IconNot Supplied Credit: News Corp Australia

A university student has hijacked a press conference involving West Australian Premier Mark McGowan, demanding to know whether abortion will be made free.

The woman approached Mr McGowan as he was preparing to answer questions from reporters after making an announcement at the University of WA on Wednesday.

“I’m a student here at UWA and I just wanted to know if you were planning to make abortion free in WA?” the woman asked.

Mr McGowan’s security team quickly swooped to surround the woman and remove her from the area – but she persisted.

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“I don’t understand why Mr McGowan can’t just answer my question,” she shouted.

“I’m just a student at UWA and I want to know if abortion will be made free?”

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Camera IconPremier Mark McGowan had a security scare but his team was quick to intervene. NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia

Mr McGowan remained tight lipped during the encounter.

A reporter later asked him the same question posed by the woman.

“We’re reviewing the law in relation to abortion reform as to whether or not further reforms need to be put in place to make it nationally consistent with other states,” the Premier said.

“You may not know, but I was in the parliament when abortion was made legal in WA.

“I’m one of the few members still left from that period and I voted in favour of it.”

Abortion costs vary across the states and Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson has previously conceded some women travelled interstate to access abortions.

In WA, women seeking an abortion after 20 weeks must be reviewed by an ethics panel involving six medical practitioners.

Two of them must agree the mother or foetus has a severe medical condition to justify having the abortion.

Originally published as WA Premier Mark McGowan in security scare at university

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