WA drafts abortion clinic safe access bill

Abortion clinics in Western Australia will be surrounded by safe access zones 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week under legislation now being drafted.

If passed, it would bring WA into line with other Australian jurisdictions excluding South Australia, where there is currently a bill before parliament to introduce safe access zones.

The legislation is expected to be introduced into WA parliament later this year and will set out prohibited behaviours such as harassment, intimidation and obstruction.

"We will be moving as steadily as possible to legislate this important law to make sure we protect the privacy and the dignity of people who are coming to abortion clinics and the staff," Health Minister Roger Cook told reporters on Monday.

Mr Cook said women who make the difficult decision to end their pregnancy had their anguish compounded when harassed by protesters who regularly picket outside the clinics.

"Abortion is a legal process, it's a very private process and it's one that people should be able to undertake without the fear of being harassed," he said.