Open Letter to Leader of National Party Christopher Luxon re “Safe Areas” Amendment

Christopher Luxon,

Leader,

National Party,

Parliament Building,

Wellington.

Dear Mr Luxon,

We, the undersigned, request that you defend our human rights of freedom of speech, assembly, communication and religion by voting against the Contraception Sterilisation and Abortion [safe area] Amendment bill of Louisa wall at its second reading.

We are totally opposed to the harassment and intimidation of women seeking an abortion and of abortion staff. We believe that this bill seeks to address a problem that does not exist.

The Health Select Committee:-

• Completely ignored the overwhelming opposition of written and oral submissions made by the public. The Committee  received 914 written submissions. There was overwhelming opposition to the bill with 635 submissions being opposed and only 175 in support, 103 submissions were considered neutral.
• Ignored the advice of the Law Commission to the Minister of Justice that this bill was not necessary as the Summary Offences Act addressed any potential intimidation and harassment of women and staff.
• Ignored the fact that District Health Boards and abortion providers did not seek “safe areas” as they did not consider them necessary.
• Ignored the fact that Right to Life’s Official Information Act requests to the 20 District Health Boards seeking the number of written and oral complaints received in the last two years from women complaining of intimidation and harassment revealed that there were no complaints either oral or in writing, not even one.

The bill has been amended to allow for the Minister of Health to designate a “safe area” not because it is necessary but merely because it is desirable. Why would Parliament suppress our human rights not because it is necessary but because it is desirable?

There is just no evidence to support the passing of this dangerous bill, why then did the Health Select Committee report back to the House recommending that the bill should be passed?

• I believe that the purpose of this bill is normalise the killing of the unborn as health care.

• To demonise those who are opposed to the killing of the unborn and to suppress dissent.

• To protect the abortion industry by preventing the presence of persons within a safe area offering help to a woman to choose life for her child.

Thank you for all that you are doing to defend the right to life and the family.

Yours sincerely,

Ken Orr,

Secretary,

Right to Life

We urge all persons who are concerned about the erosion of the freedom of speech and assembly in this country to copy this letter and send to Christopher Luxon or to write to him in your own words. If this Bill is passed into law then the very real concerns expressed at the end of this letter are very likely to eventuate.

We urge all persons who are concerned about the erosion of the freedom of speech and assembly in this country to copy this letter and send to Christopher Luxon or to write to him in your own words. If this Bill is passed into law then the very real concerns expressed at the end of this letter are very likely to eventuate. We would also ask that concerned persons send an email to us at

ken@righttolife.org.nz   requesting that their name be included in the open letter.