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Liberal Party SA

The South Australian Liberal Party has provided a statement in response to our pledge in it they have made some commitments to improving access to forensic medical exams and abortion care for people in regional SA

Liberal Party SA has pledged limited support

The Liberal Party provided a three-page response to our pledge questions. You can read it here.


The party has made limited commitments in response to questions about improving timely access to forensic medical exams and care.


Their response recognises the unacceptable wait times experienced by victims of sexual assault when accessing forensic medical exams. It states that a new “Hurn Liberal Government will create a better health system” and that “growing the health workforce and providing relief for our hospitals will improve overall service capacity, allowing healthcare professionals to better support people experiencing sexual assault.” However, the response does not commit to developing or resourcing a statewide model of care.The party also indicates that expanding who can conduct forensic medical exams “could be explored further as workplace capacity grows.”

Like the ALP and One Nation, the Liberal Party treats changes to abortion legislation as a conscience issue for individual MPs. The party has indicated that it is “not anticipating further amendments to the current statutes to deliver the highest standards of care.”

On abortion care, the Liberal Party has committed to improving access, particularly in regional South Australia. Their response states that “we recognise the frustration surrounding access to abortion care in South Australia. A Liberal Health Minister will proactively work for regional services to be more closely aligned with metropolitan services.”

While the Liberal Party has not committed to other components of the abortion pledge, it is positive to see recognition of the challenges people face accessing abortion care in regional South Australia, and a commitment to work to address them.

No position

Ensure that specialist domestic, family and sexual violence services have adequate funding

We all deserve to be and feel safe wherever we live, gather or play.  Yet current funding settings mean specialist domestic, family and sexual violence services are under-resourced, limiting their ability to provide timely, specialist support to victim-survivors.

The next Parliament must ensure sustainable, adequate funding for specialist services and fully implement the key recommendations of the South Australian Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence. This includes properly resourcing frontline supports and establishing clearer, fit-for-purpose funding pathways outside of homelessness funding streams.

South Australian voters deserve clarity on whether candidates will commit to strengthening the specialist services that keep victim-survivors safe.

Actions we’ve asked Liberal Party SA to commit to:
  • Will you support disentangling funding for domestic, family and sexual violence services from homelessness services and funding streams? (In line with Recommendation 24 (a) of the Royal Commission): Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.
  • Will you support the provision of a significant and sustained uplift in funding for the domestic, family and sexual violence sector that reflects the long-term needs of victim-survivors, service stability, and workforce development? (Recommendation 24 part (b) of the Royal Commission): Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.
  • Will you support funding the establishment and ongoing operation of a non-government central entry-point crisis and information service for any person experiencing domestic, family or sexual violence in South Australia? (Recommendation 46 part of the Royal Commission): Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.
  • Within the relevant regional and remote locations, will you support priority investment in specialist Aboriginal Community Controlled organisations’ delivery of specialist domestic, family and sexual violence service and accommodation?  (Recommendation 106 part of the Royal Commission): Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.

Limited Commitment

Ensure access to forensic medical exams and medical care for survivors of sexual assault

South Australians expect a justice and health system that responds swiftly, compassionately and effectively to the needs of sexual assault survivors. Yet victim-survivors continue to face unacceptable delays in accessing forensic medical examinations, gaps in specialist support, and processes that can retraumatise rather than assist recovery.

The next Parliament must act decisively to strengthen the state’s response to sexual violence. This includes investing in expanded specialist services, ensuring timely access to forensic medical care and health screening, and fully implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence.

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Actions we’ve asked Liberal Party SA to commit to:
  • Will you support investment to develop, resource, and implement a statewide model of care and minimum standards for the availability and conduct of forensic medical examinations across South Australia? (in line with Recommendation 53 of the Royal Commission).: Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.
  • Will you support  investment to improve support for victim-survivors of sexual violence in regional areas – including to ensure timely access to forensic medical examinations, ‘just in case’ examinations, and health checks? (In line with Recommendation 54 of the Royal Commission): Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.
  • Will you support broadening the scope of who can conduct forensic medical examinations to include registered midwives; by amending regulation 8(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Regulations 2022 (SA)?(In line with Recommendation 55 of the Royal Commission): Liberal Party SA has made a Limited Commitment to this pledge.
  • Will you support reform and investment to ensure victim-survivors who do not have access to Medicare are not charged by SA Health for health responses to sexual violence, including health assessments, forensic medical examinations, and ‘just in case’ examinations? (In line with Recommendation 56 of the Royal Commission)?: Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.

No position

Resource improved access to services and support for victims of gender-based violence

South Australians expect that victim-survivors will be able to access the services and support they need; when they need it. Yet too often the systems aren’t working for the people who need them. 

The Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence identified clear gaps in risk assessment, disability accessibility, and appropriate court infrastructure. Without dedicated resourcing and implementation, these gaps will continue to undermine safety and accountability.

The next Parliament must prioritise practical delivery of reform:  improving accessibility across services and courts, and funding the case management work that is required to deliver on an improved Risk Assessment and Management Framework.

Actions we’ve asked Liberal Party SA to commit to:
  • Will you support a flexible funding model for the operationalisation of the needs assessment and management components of the SA Risk Assessment and Management Framework? Specifically, including funding the case management work to be undertaken by domestic, family, and sexual violence organisations? (In line with Recommendation 97 of the Royal Commission): Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.
  • Will you support resourcing the establishment of Family Violence Disability Liaison Officers to ensure all domestic, family and sexual violence services are accessible to people with disability? (In line with Recommendation 113 of the Royal Commission): Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.
  • Will you support the South Australian government undertaking an audit of existing government buildings to identify opportunities to establish vulnerable witness suites in regional locations with a court presence? (In line with Recommendation 115 of the Royal Commission): Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.
  • Within the relevant regional and remote locations, will you support priority investment in specialist Aboriginal Community Controlled organisations’ delivery of specialist domestic, family and sexual violence services and accommodation? (In line with Recommendation 106 of the Royal Commission): Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.

Limited Commitment

Improve access to abortion care in South Australia

South Australians should be able to access timely, affordable healthcare that respects their autonomy and reproductive choices. Yet across the state, too many women, particularly in regional and remote areas, face significant travel, cost, and service barriers when seeking abortion care.

The current South Australian  legislative framework provides important protections, and was shaped by expert advice through the SALRI (South Australian Law Reform Institute) process. Yet this legislation has come under political attack from anti choice activists whose ultimate aim is to obstruct and reduce access to  abortion care.

While South Australia leads the nation in provision of abortion care through the public system, inequality of access still remains with abortion care being much more difficult to access in regional and remote South Australia.


These questions have been endorsed by the South Australian Abortion Action Coalition (SAAAC)

Actions we’ve asked Liberal Party SA to commit to:
  • Will you personally vote to protect SA’s current abortion laws from attacks that would restrict access to abortion care?: Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.
  • Will you support investment to improve access to abortion care, especially for people in remote and regional South Australia?: Liberal Party SA has made a Partial Commitment to this pledge.
  • Will you support increasing investment in training the primary care workforce to deliver abortion care across the state (including obligations in cases of conscientious objection)?: Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.
  • Will you support establishing a statewide telephone booking service to help ensure timely access to abortion care (like my 1800 My Options in Victoria)?: Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.
  • Will you support establishing a publicly funded state-wide telehealth service for Early Medication Abortion?: Liberal Party SA has made no commitment to this pledge.