Media Release 2 February 2025
Right to Life asks Parliament: Why do you enthusiastically confer the status of legal personhood on Mount Taranaki, while at the same time you continue to deny the legal personhood and the humanity of our own children living in their mother’s wombs?
Right to Life is appalled that our parliamentarians can give unanimous approval to legislation that presumes to confer personhood on Mount Taranaki, but refuse to recognise the humanity, the personhood and the right to life of our own unborn children. This is the government that is at pains to assure the community that this government will guarantee that access and funding for the murder of our children in the womb will continue as a “reproductive health service”.
Parliament celebrated the unanimous voice vote passing the third reading of the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill on Thursday, 30th January 2025.
Mount Taranaki, renamed Te Kāhui Tupua, now has the status of legal personhood. Parliament has established a statutory body to speak and act on behalf of Mount Taranaki. Parliament had previously granted personhood to Te Urewera , formerly Urewera National Park in 2014, and the Whanganui River, Te Awa Tupua, in 2017.
Right to Life questions Parliament’s granting personhood status to geographic features. Right to Life believes that only members of the human race should have the legal status of human persons. Human life begins at the moment of conception, and that every human being is a unique and unrepeatable miracle of God’s loving creation, endowed with an immortal soul, destined for eternal life. Our Creator endows every human being with the status of personhood and human rights. Only God can bestow personhood upon His Creation. Our laws should recognise this natural law of God.
Right to Life commends Māori for their concern to protect the mana of their tupuna, Mount Taranaki, the Whanganui river and Te Urewera, formerly Urewera national park, but questions why have you campaigned tirelessly to achieve legal personhood for Mount Taranaki, while your own unborn children are legally denied their inalienable right to be recognised as human beings and legal persons? In 2023 a total of 4,247 Māori unborn children were poisoned, sucked from their mother’s wombs or were violently dismembered.
Right to Life invites Māori to join with us in seeking the repeal of the Abortion Legislation Act 2020, designed by Dame Jacinda Ardern. We look forward to the day when the humanity and personhood of every Māori unborn child is recognised and protected in law.
Ken Orr,
Spokesperson,
Right to Life New Zealand Inc.