Media Release 14 February 2020
Agnes Loheni, a member of the Select Committee opposed the passage of the Abortion Legislation Bill and has warned that, “this Bill if enacted will severely breach and irreparably damage the “sanctity of life” principle which has been the cornerstone of New Zealand’s common law. She called for a Royal Commission of enquiry to investigate into whether there is a need for changes to New Zealand’s abortion legislation. Right to Life fully supports this call for a Royal Commission.
Right to Life is concerned that the Special Abortion Legislation Select Committee in reporting to Parliament is in support for the passing of this draconian anti-life and anti-feminist Labour led government legislation which would decriminalise abortion making the killing of unborn children a ‘reproductive health choice. The Bill achieves the following outcomes-
- It denies the humanity of the unborn child.
- It denies the child’s inalienable God given right to life.
- It grants property rights to the mother over her child.
- It declares that it is no longer a crime to kill an unborn child.
- It grants the “right” of the mother to terminate the life of her child,
- It violates the conscience rights of doctors not to be involved in the killing of their unborn patients.
- It violates the right of free speech and assembly of those who seek to offer help to women seeking an abortion or to pray within 150 metres of a killing centre.
The Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, must accept responsibility for this Bill as she is passionately committed to ’empowering’ women with the right to kill their children before they are born. It was she who directed the Minister of Justice, Andrew Little, in February 2018, to proceed to seek advice from the Law Commission to advise how to remove the killing of the unborn from the Crimes Act and make it a health issue. The Minister was careful to instruct the Commission not to review the current legislation nor to review the findings of the Royal Commission which had accepted that the unborn child was a human being from conception and deserved respect and protection.
This Labour led government orchestrated from the start, the appointment of a staunch pro-abortion select committee. One that would support the killing of the unborn as a health service and one that has shamefully and faithfully followed the example of the Nazi regime that before it launched genocide against the Jews first legislated to deny the humanity of the Jews and then to deny their human rights.
The Select Committee has rejected the 25,776 written submissions, 91% of which were opposed to the decriminalisation of abortion.
The Committee has also rejected the petitions of 15,407 of Right to Life and the petition of 13,268 of Gina Sunderland opposing the decriminalisation of abortion.
The Committee has also rejected the findings of the poll conducted by Curia Marketing Services conducted in September 2019 which revealed that 65% of those polled believed that the unborn child was a human being before it was born. A total of 55% of those polled recognised that the unborn child was endowed with human rights before it was born.
The unborn child is the weakest and most defenceless member of the human family. Every child is a unique and unrepeatable miracle of God’s loving creation, it should be received with the dignity due to the human person.
Parliament will now have its second reading of this highly contentious and ill -conceived bill. Right to Life requests that Parliament maintain the protection of the Crimes Act for women and their precious unborn by defeating this bill at its second reading. Our future depends upon it.
Ken Orr,
Spokesperson,
Right to Life
Shocking! I miscarried twice and then couldn’t fall pregnant. I was traumatised and in a bad way emotionally. I eventually fell pregnant and had a healthy baby and was blessed with 2 more.. But it took a miracle some years later for me to heal from the trauma caused by the miscarriages. I can’t imagine what an abortion must do to those who choose to have an abortion. Life is precious! I feel for the medical profession as they will be forced to do the abortions or will be struck off the roll.
Yes we must do all we can to stop this terrible bill. Unfortunately it is going to its second reading in the next week and with the numbers stacked against the unborn child it looks like we are going to have a government that removes all protection from the murder of unborn children. Shocking.
Please stop this bill from going through and future will not have a voice , life and experience love like every human being has a right to be heard . I stand against this bill and hope you will all stand with every child voice that is being ignored and our voice will be heard at the polls
Thanks Mark, We are doing all we can. Please speak out against this atrocity. Even if the bill becomes an act we must never give up on the children.
A child is a gift from God If you don’t want the child give to someone who can’t have children don’t kill the child before he or she has a change to grow and add to this amazing nation of ours And as for not being able to pray anywhere near these sad mislead mothers What are you afraid of that God will give them good counsel and turn there heads
Thanks Julie, we are living in a time when murder of infants looks like it is going to be totally state sanctioned.
We as New Zealand citizens are having the abortion bill forced on us. Most people cannot even conceptualise an abortion and how it takes place. The majority of people do not want abortion legalised and it is simply a crude method of “birth control”. What is next for humanity?
Abortion means that we are not responsible for our actions but essentially the consciences of those involved are hardened or indifferent to life.
It is almost as if a “final solution” is being used on humanity who, know no better.
Please rethink the issue of abortion on demand as it is not a woman’s right to terminate the life of a defenceless child.
Yes Les, we totally agree. Please spread the word. The Christchurch March for Life on 28th March 2020 is a great opportunity to express concern about the government’s actions.
Have been a Labour supporter all my voting life.
Not any more.
Labour should be working to support mothers to have their babies and protect them … not kill them. This is an innocent life taken for an adults mistake. Give your baby life with someone else if you don’t want them.
Hi M Ruru, If only other lifetime Labour voters would be prepared to take the stand that you are taking then, this dreadful state of affairs would not be occurring. Michael Joseph Savage and Norman Kirk would be turning in their graves.