HUNDREDS took to Newcastle foreshore on Thursday night to rally in solidarity with women affected by the winding back of abortion rights in America and to call for greater access to the service in Australia.
Chants of "keep your laws off my body" rang out in Honeysuckle as the rally kicked off from Newcastle Museum around 6pm.
Finishing at Nobbys Beach with speeches and a barbecue, the rally also marked the beginning of a fundraiser by organisers - Newcastle sexual assault survivor advocacy group What Were you Wearing.
"The fundraiser will run for a week and half the money raised will go to Planned Parenthood in the US so they can continue to provide abortion services," rally organiser and What Were You Wearing cofounder Sarah Williams said.
"It's great to see people of so many ages, backgrounds and genders turn out, not just people who can carry a baby."
On June 24, the American Supreme Court overturned a 1973 Roe v Wade decision which guaranteed constitutional right to an abortion.
Organiser Sarah Williams said the rally was to show support to those affected by the decision while sending a message to Australian legislators.
"It's about standing in solidarity with other women even if they are in America," Ms Williams said.
"We also want to show politicians and other people in power in Australia that we are not going to be okay with it if they are thinking about following America's lead."
Speakers at the rally included Charleston MP Jodie Harrison, Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp along with Newcastle councillors Charlotte McCabe and Carol Duncan.
Lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes put up a motion in council on Tuesday to "condemn" the US decision and support Thursday's rally, which saw two councillors abstain.
Cr Duncan, who was representing Cr Nelmes at the rally, said while the health system was not the responsibility of local government, it was important to show solidarity for people "who choose at some point in their lifetimes to terminate a pregnancy for whatever reason".
"What we can do and should do is say that we support the right for women to be in control of their own reproductive health," Cr Duncan said.
"It's important to remember that restricting abortion does not stop abortion. By making it illegal it makes women seek unsafe abortions.
"That will place millions of American lives at risk."
25-year-old mother Sabrina Carrall was at the rally with her 10-month-old daughter Audrey.
"It's so important that women have choice over their own body," Ms Carrall said.
"Becoming a mother is best thing that I ever did but it's not for everybody and shouldn't be forced on anybody that doesn't want that.
"There is also still room for improvement in Australia."
The rally was the first of a series of pro-choice events across Australia in the coming days and called on the Australian government to provide additional funding for abortion centres and to make the service free.
In August last year, the Hunter's largest provider of abortion services, Marie Stopes, closed their Broadmeadow clinic for financial reasons.
Marie Stopes, now MSI, published an "Abortion Access Scorecard" on Tuesday for states and territories in Australia.
Australia Managing Director Jamal Hakim described abortion access as a "postcode lottery" and called for universal abortion access and the embedding of abortion in the healthcare system".
