The Merry-Go-Round begins

The Doctor or Family Planning advisor [unclear: submitt] to the panel a written statement of the grounds for abortion. (It is not clear who decides these grounds - the doctor or the patient-but the intention is clearly to make even this this the doctors decision). The patient is then compusarily 'counselled' (as above) and she is not allowed near the panel till they receive written notice that this has been adequately completed. 'As soon as practicable', the panel considers the case. It need not interview the patient at all, if it considers an interview unnecessary or undesirable. So her case may be decided completetly unheard, by a faceless pair of unknown doctors, advised by a voteless social worker who is also unknown to her. If they cannot agree they call in a third unknown (from the approved list, naturally) who then decides. If the approval is given the patient and institution get certificates authorising the abortion. If refused, the patient is offered yet more counselling The intention is clearly to ignore the woman in question and as far as possible treat her as a 'case', a statistic, with panels operating under pressure from the Committee to keep the abortion figures down. It is much easier to deny a woman you do not know and need not even see once, let alone face the results of your decision.

Fees may be charged for applying to the panels, for performing an abortion, and for any other necessary services. The Governor-General decides what will be charged. You cannot take legal action against the Committee or the panels. If your wife or daughter commits suicide after being refused an abortion, or dies in childbirth, or the baby is hopelessly retarded, you have no redress.