Pro-Abortion University Groups – Defunded

Right to Life supports the right of university students to withhold funding from pro-abortion university groups. This is a struggle for the minds and hearts of the nation’s future leaders. Right to Life calls upon all Members of Parliament to vote for the final reading of the Education [Freedom of Association] Amendment bill that will remove the obligation of students to belong and pay a subscription to the New Zealand Student Associations [NZUSA].

For many years so called women’s rights groups and campus-affiliated “reproductive right’s groups have infiltrated Student Unions and promoted a dangerous anti- life and pro-abortion agenda, which do not have the support of the majority of students. These groups have received funding from the students association. The groups also have the support of the Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand [ALRANZ]. It is a sad irony that the NZUSA supports the right of women to choose to kill their unborn children, yet denies the right of university students to choose if they wish to pay subscriptions to an Association, that funds and promotes groups that have an agenda which is anti-life and anti-women.

Universities are very important to society as places of learning, culture and free speech. Students have an inalienable right to come together to form groups at their university to promote respect for life, the dignity of women and the importance of the family as the foundation of a healthy society. It is an intolerable assault on free speech when pro-abortion groups seek to silence those who wish to speak up on campus in defence of life.  It is also intolerable to deny them the right to be recognised and affiliated to a Students Association. This happened at the University of Auckland earlier this year, when a pro-abortion group endeavoured to have a pro-life group prohibited from speaking on campus and prohibited from affiliation with the students association.

It is important for the future of New Zealand that we have university educated leaders who will promote a culture of life, with respect for the sanctity of life of every human being from conception to natural death. ALRANZ has minimal community support and is greatly concerned that its ability to seduce young students with a culture of death will be curtailed (click). The Association knows that if it loses the battle in the universities, it will ultimately loose the battle in the wider community.

The passing of this enlightened legislation will herald a new dawn. It is fervently hoped that the darkness and the culture of death which is being promoted by ALRANZ in our university student bodies will be vanquished. The much needed legislation will encourage students associations to be more responsive to the needs of all the students.

Ken Orr

Spokesperson Right to Life