Abortion is both a well-worn and a controversial issue. But, hidden away, there is a battle for control of abortion in Australia - not over whether women are able to obtain abortions. A new player, Marie Stopes International (MSI), has taken over many UK clinics, and there are concerns about the effect on prices.

Dr. Chris Harmston, manager of Preterm, a not-for-profit Abortion charity operating in Sydney since 1973, has watched MSI move into the Sydney market.

MSI aggressively promote their services - with advertising in women's magazines, local papers and major papers. They're also sending glossy brochures to doctors around Sydney.

While there are regulatory hurdles, women in Australia can easily locate information about abortion. Certainly, there have been recent changes in the political landscape. The Women's Abortion Action Campaign, dormant for over a decade, is awakening from its long hibernation. But, fundamentally, the battle has been won, and no clinic needs to "raise awareness" - such advertising could only be in pursuit of market share.

The name "Marie Stopes" covers a confusing range of not-for-profit entities, which have emerged over time from the first family planning clinic opened in the UK in 1921 by Dr. Marie Stopes.

Marie Stopes Australia and Marie Stopes International Australia operate in the Asia-Pacific region and support Indigenous Australia - and are in receipt of Federal money. These two entities are registered in Australia, and subject to the scrutiny of ASIC and other relevant bodies.

However, Marie Stopes International (MSI), based in the UK, is a third body with a slightly different name. Operating out of the UK it runs abortion clinics in major cities in Australia. While their clinics must past muster on Australian regulations, its not clear just how open their finances are to scrutiny. Between the 2002 and 2003 UK financial years MSI injections into their Australian operations from "unrestricted funds" rose from about 900,000 pounds to 3 million pounds. One of the changes in Sydney was the purchase of the of the Bessie Smyth Foundation's Powell Street Clinic; it shows how seriously the MSI is taking their expanded Australian operations (Regardless, the Bessie Smyth Foundation fondly acknowledge Preterm as fellow travellers).

With MSIA and MSA operating in Australia under different names, Dr. Harmston thinks it "a little strange that they [MSI] are sending so much into Australia to prop up their operations. There is no doubt in my mind that their whole push is towards gaining a large part of the market share - and then pushing up the prices. In fact, their Westmead clinic is already doing just that."

The MSI approach to abortion is fundamentally different to Preterm's. Preterm charges a moderate fee, but also provides free abortions for women unable to pay this charge - MSI necessarily charge all women seeking abortions. Preterm charges Medicare plus $195 for termination performed under 12 weeks under Intravenous Sedation; the fee for a similar procedure at the MSI Westmead clinic is Medicare plus $295.

Preterm has had to put up with marginalisation of abortion over the years, and has managed to weather the storms. No stranger to storms, Dr. Harmston and Preterm are ready for this latest one.