
Last night Parliament shamefully passed the Abortion Legislation Bill by 81 to 39
Parliament believes that the unborn child is not a human being and has no right to life until it is born. That the unborn child is a chattel and is the property of the mother. That it is not a crime to kill an unborn child and that It may be killed as “a reproductive health choice.”
The State has a duty to protect the lives of every member of the community from conception to natural death. It has a special duty to protect the unborn who are the weakest and most defenceless member of our human family.
Right to Life commends those Members who spoke in the debate and voted in defence of women and the right to life of their unborn and in opposition to this appalling anti-women and anti-life Bill.
This is a sad day for women and their precious unborn who have an absolute right to have the love and protection of the community to do everything possible to protect the life of her child.
Justice Minister Andrew Little objected to the use of graphic pictures by pro-life demonstrators at Parliament yesterday, saying “New Zealanders on average have a low level of tolerance for that sort of extremism. If these people want to go around upsetting the rest of New Zealand, that’s their call.” Right to Life agrees the real life pictures of bloodied and dismembered unborn children is very upsetting. We hope that the Minister is upset. We believe that he is in denial. He needs to understand that abortion is violence against the weakest and most defenceless member of our human family.
Mother and child have had the protection of the Crimes Act section 182, Killing an Unborn Child, since 1856. Parliament has now cruelly withdrawn that protection.
It is a sad commentary on our Parliament that the lives of our unborn children are considered of little value and have little protection while we give absolute protection for eight endangered birds. An offence endangering the lives of these birds could result in two years imprisonment or a fine up to $100,000.
There are fifty endangered species that include the Katipo spider, weasels and beetles.
The Wildlife Act 1953 Section 67A states that it is an offence punishable by up to 6 months in prison and/or a fine of up to $100,000 plus $5000 per extra head of wildlife or egg disturbed or destroyed.
Why does the Katipo spider have absolute protection for its life while our own unborn children have absolutely no protection?
The Bill now awaits its third reading.
Ken Orr
Spokesperson,
Right to Life