Letter Sent to all NZ MP’s Voting against Abortion Legislation Bill Amendments

The following letter was sent to all NZ MP’s who voted against SOP’s tabled by Simon O’Connor and Agnes Loheni to the Abortion Legislation Bill that would have mitigated harm under that bill.

Dear MP,

Please vote to protect women and the unborn from violence by voting against the Abortion Legislation Bill at the third reading.

It is noted that you voted against the SOP of Simon O’Connor MP, to amend the Abortion Legislation Bill. This amendment sought to require that in the event of a child being born alive following an abortion that it would receive appropriate medical care. Your conscience vote raises several important questions:-

• What were your reasons for opposing this SOP?
• Are you opposed to children born alive being given appropriate medical care?

It is noted that you voted against the SOP of Agnes Loheni MP. This amendment would require that in abortions where the child was of post 20 weeks gestation, that before the child’s life was terminated it would be administered an anaesthetic to prevent the child experiencing pain during the abortion. 

Your conscience vote raises several important questions:-

• What were your reasons for opposing this SOP?
• Do you accept that a child of post 20 weeks  gestation may experience pain in an abortion?

It is also noted that you voted against the SOP 460 of Agnes Loheni MP, which sought to continue the current legislation to restrict post 20 week abortions to where a women’s life or health is at risk. This would have provided the continued protection previously promised by the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern in September 2017.

Your conscience vote raises several important questions:-

• What were your reasons for opposing this SOP?
• Do you support the legal protection previously promised by the Prime Minister for babies diagnosed with Down syndrome or another disability?

Yours sincerely

Ken Orr

Secretary,

Right to Life