Qld public hospitals unlikely to perform more abortions if it's legalised: minister

Currently, 95 per cent of abortions are performed in the private and non-government sector, funded by Medicare with a patient co-payment.

Labor has announced it will introduce a bill to decriminalise abortion - which is still in the Criminal Code - in August, with debate scheduled for the week of October 16.

The laws would include safe access zones of 150 metres around clinics and allow doctors to conscientiously object to performing abortions but they would be required to refer patients to a medical practitioner who would perform the procedure.

Health Minister Steven Miles said it was unlikely the number of abortions performed in the public sector would "change significantly in the short term", in an answer to a question on notice tabled during estimates.

Another factor to consider under changed laws, Mr Miles said, was conscientious objections from medical, nursing and other staff in the public and private hospital systems, which posed a significant operational challenge to providing services compared with termination clinics where staff could elect to work.

There was also competition for emergency and acute services, which meant abortions may not be considered a "priority" for public hospitals, even after legislative change.

However, Mr Miles said hospitals would continue to triage and prioritise urgent medical cases.

Mr Miles said the current stigma associated with providing terminations discouraged many medical practitioners, even if they were not conscientious objectors.

"They risk public vilification from pro-life groups," he said.

Mr Miles said once abortion was decriminalised, it would likely become cheaper, reduce the stigma and risk for clinicians and hopefully mean more doctors provide services as it became more "normal" and accepted.

"The experience, particularly in Victoria, has been that there hasn't been a great shift in patients from the not-for-profit and private sector into the public sector," he said.

"Public hospitals will continue to offer services for the most complex and of course for the critical and emergency situations.

"The primary care setting for most women who have their abortions in the particularly first trimester will continue to be the appropriate place for them to seek those services."

Mr Miles said abortion was a personal matter between a woman and her medical professional and did not belong in the Criminal Code.

"We know there are barriers to access of termination services in Queensland particularly for women in rural and remote areas," he said.

"I've asked Queensland Health to develop an implementation plan that will begin by examining regions of Queensland where services are not available and addressing those gaps, that includes engaging with local services and the private sector."

Mr Miles said surgical termination of pregnancy was currently not available in Cairns as a result of the retirement of a private gynaecologist in 2017.

"Funding has been allocated for a contract to a service provider in the Cairns region, which will avoid the currently untenable situation where women may have to travel from as far as the Torres Strait to Cairns and then be sent to Brisbane or even Sydney, and it may be their first time outside of the Torres Strait," he said.

Children by Choice manager Daile Kelleher said women should be able to access terminations in the public health system, chiefly because of the significant out of pocket costs they incur in the private system and the relative scarcity of clinics that offer the services outside south-east Queensland.

"It's hoped that with decriminalisation, the procedure will be made available in public hospitals throughout the state thus reducing the cost and location barriers Queensland women currently face," she said.

There are only two clinics that provide surgical terminations outside south-east Queensland.

Greens MP Michael Berkman called on the government to plan for free, universal access to abortion services.

"They're taking a punt that decriminalising abortion will be enough to bring down the sometimes massive out-of-pocket costs, and a host of other barriers they've identified," he said.

"Right now 95 per cent of terminations are delivered in the private and NGO system where costs can range from $250 to $5000.

"Especially for women and those accessing services in regional Queensland, cost and distance are massive barriers.

"Abortion should be safe, legal and free."