Letter to Health and Disability Commissioner

Dear Mr Patterson

Re: Complaint against the Abortion Supervisory Committee

I wish to lay a complaint against the Abortion Supervisory Committee, for declining to ensure that women considering an abortion are informed that the abortion procedure

“Will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being.”

[Read more…]

Right to Life needs your generous financial assistance for the legal proceedings being undertaken in the Court of Appeal in Wellington on behalf of unborn children and their mothers. The proceedings are a judicial review of the performance of the Abortion Supervisory Committee, [ASC]. The High Court’s judgment found that, “There is reason to doubt the lawfulness of many abortions authorised by certifying consultants. Indeed, the Committee has stated that the law is being used more liberally interpreted than Parliament intended.”

“The Committee does in fact have the power to require certifying consultants to keep records and report on cases they have considered.”

To Find out how to make a donation click here

[Read more…]

Justice Miller delivered his judgment on 3^rd of August in the High Court in Wellington. He has declined to issue declaratory orders concluding that they are unnecessary, as the Abortion Supervisory Committee [ASC] should now be fully aware of its statutory duties. He stated, “There is no reason to suppose that the Committee will refuse to act now that its functions have been clarified. It remains the case that the Committee can be expected to administer the law as Parliament intended.” The Committee is accountable to Parliament and it is expected that the appropriate Parliamentary Select Committee will ensure that the ASC holds certifying consultants accountable for the abortions that they authorise. Right to Life is confident that the Committee will now comply with its statutory duty to hold certifying consultants accountable for the lawfulness of the abortions that they authorise. This will hopefully herald in a new era in the care and protection of women and for the right to life of unborn children in New Zealand.

[Read more…]

The pro – abortion society, the Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand, [ALRANZ] is engaged in a campaign of misinformation. That society has a national membership of about 200 members. It does not represent the best interests of women and has minimal support in the community. The National President of ALRANZ, Dr Margaret Sparrow stated in a recent media release that abortion was not a crime and that the Government should stop the current Judicial Review of the performance of the Abortion Supervisory Committee by decriminalising abortion. In the interest of mothers and their unborn this statement is challenged.

[Read more…]

In the High Court in Wellington, on 20 July, Justice Miller will hear arguments from counsel for Right to Life and the Crown on the important issue of declaratory orders.   

Right to Life in seeking justice and legal protection for the human rights of our unborn children will seek at this hearing to have Justice Miller issue precise declarations  to the Abortion Supervisory Committee [ASC] requesting that they fulfil their statutory duty to hold certifying consultants accountable for the exercise of their duty of certifying the performance of abortions and this way restrain  the unlawful de facto abortion on demand prevailing at present in New Zealand, under the Contraception Sterilisation and Abortion Act. These declarations have the effect of declaring the law and the way in which it should be applied as set out in the fuller reasons given by Justice Miller in his judgment.

[Read more…]

PRAYER ALERT: High Court hearing, Wellington.

In May I circulated the “Prayer Alert” regarding the Court of Appeal held in May. At that time, the judges said there was nothing the Abortion Supervisory Committee (ASC) could appeal from Justice Miller’s recommendations made at the ’08 High Court case. This High Court hearing is the next step.

Date: Monday 20^th July, probably from 10am to 1pm.

Before Justice Forrest Miller

Purpose: Declaratory Orders.

Right to Life will seek to have Justice Miller issue clear declaratory orders to the ASC setting out the statutory powers and duties of the ASC.

[Read more…]

Dear Mr Ryall,

Re: Consent Form – Abortion

Thank you for your letter of 4 June 2009 on the issues of ultrasound scans and the consent form for an abortion. Thank you also for your advice that we should take up the issue of an amendment to the consent form for abortions with the Abortion Supervisory Committee. On the 26 May 2009 our Society wrote to the Committee providing them with a copy of your letter. We requested that they give consideration to supporting the suggested amendment and write to all the District Health Boards [DHBs] requesting that they amend their consent form for abortion. In their letter of 8 July the Committee declined to take action.

[Read more…]

Chris Barton’s New Zealand Herald article (Weekend Saturday 22rd May) details the issues surrounding Right to Life’s recent Appeals Court action against the Abortion Supervisory Committee. Click here for link