Women in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) would be able to order the drug RU-486 over the phone or through their GP, under a plan being pushed by the Greens to expand Women's Reproductive Rights.

"There's clearly a demand from people in Canberra who need to access abortions and who want to do it in a way that's as discreet as possible, as safe as possible and with less interruption to their lives," said Greens MLA Caroline Le Couteur.  "Not everybody wants to have a surgical abortion."

The problem is that in the ACT, abortions can only be carried out at the Canberra Hospital or the Marie Stopes Abortion Clinic in Canberra.  The clinic already prescribes RU486.  However, women have to be present at the clinic to take the first dose.

Since most of the rest of Australia doesn't have these restrictions, the Greens' proposed legislation would no longer require women to physically attend the clinic of hospital.