Media Release 10th October 2019
Right to Life believes that the Special Abortion Legislation Committee is violating the right of citizens to be heard and undermining our Parliamentary democracy.
The Committee has advised that there were more than 23,000 written submissions made to the Select Committee and that 2890 submitters made a request to have the opportunity to make an oral submission. It is believed that only 150 submitters have been granted the privilege to be heard, only 5% of that total. This is totally unacceptable in a democracy.
Hon Ruth Dyson said: “The committee welcomes hearing from a wide range of people on their views. We understand that this is a sensitive and important topic, and we look forward to engaging in a respectful and open discussion.”
Right to Life is aware that this is a special committee created by the Minister of Justice, the Hon Andrew Little for the exclusive purpose of considering this bill and submissions. This Committee has no other business and should has stated devote itself to hearing from a wide range of people on their views and engaging in a respectful and open discussion.
Those who govern should not forget that they govern with the consent of the governed. We the governed have an absolute right to be heard. This is a bill like no other in the history of our nation. It is a bill that if passed will allow hundreds of thousands of children yet to be conceived to be violently killed as “a reproductive choice for women.” It is a bill that will increase the victimisation, suffering and abandonment of women.
This bill seeks:-
- To remove the protection of the State under the Crimes Act for women from the violence of abortion.
- To remove the protection of the Crimes Act for the life of unborn children, so that it is no longer a crime to kill an unborn child.
- To allow for the killing of the unborn child up to 20 weeks for any reason at the request of the mother.
- To allow for the killing of the child up to birth at the request of the mother if a doctor considers it appropriate.
The community should be concerned and alarmed that the Minister of Justice wants this committee to act with urgency in reporting this contentious bill back to Parliament in order that it can be rushed through Parliament and passed into law before the 19 December 2019 the last sitting day for this year.
Statesman are concerned about the next generation but politicians are concerned about the next election. Next year is an election year and the government does not want to lose the support of many in the community who are passionately pro-life and opposed to this anti -life and anti-feminist bill.
There is no urgency to pass this bill. There is however urgency for the Committee to ensure that every citizen who wants to be heard, both those for and against, before the bill is reported back to Parliament by 8th February 2020.
Ken Orr,
Spokesperson,
Right to Life
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