Bishop Peter Eagles has voiced concerns over the Abortion Reform Bill.

However, the Bishop voted in favour as the Legislative Council gave unanimous support for the bill’s first reading.

It was also revealed the problematic definition of ’health’ at the start of the bill could be dropped.

The Bishop queried whether enough consideration had been given in the bill to the right of the unborn child.

’It takes great care, and rightly so, to protect the needs of the mother,’ he said.

’It takes less concern, I think, to protect the other life involved.

’It is clear to me that, in our understanding of human life, in this particular regard, both lives have significance and both lives matter. The mother and the child.’

He said the right to life - ’the right that every human being has’ - was the basis of western legislation.

Bill Henderson, who is in charge of guiding the bill through the Legislative Council, said he welcomed the Bishop’s input, but added that he thought it was right that the needs of the woman were the focus.

’We should have the woman at the centre of this and what is right for her and her situation,’ he said.

Earlier, Mr Henderson confirmed the bill was ’fully functional’ and that ’everything works well’. But he added that there would be some technical amendments tabled.

He added: ’One is to remove the definition of health, which is causing legislative issues.’

The definition is contained within a clause at the beginning of the bill that but it is understood it is felt that it might not be necessary to include any such definition of health at that stage of the bill.

Opponents had tried to have the reference to ’social well-being’ removed from that definition.

Separate from the definition of health, the bill specifies ’serious social concern’ as a reason for permitting abortions during the 15-24 week period.

Under the bill, abortion would be permitted upon request up to 14 weeks, under specified circumstances during the 15-24-week period, and in certain emergency situations after 24 weeks. Provision has also been added to create ’access zones’ around medical centres to protect women and medics from harassment.

Several MLCs commented that the principles were now established.

Due to the TT, the next sitting of Legislative Council is not until June 12.