Right to Life made an Official Information Request related to Abortion Statistics during the Covid Lockdown to the Ministry of Health. We deem their response, which was received on 1st September, shown below, to be unacceptable.

We intend to lay a complaint with the Ombudsman in relation to their refusal to answer questions 7,8,and 9 of our inquiry. These questions related to inquiring into the number of abortions performed by the private Magma abortion clinics; how many abortions were performed by midwives, and how many were performed at Family Planning clinics.

The Ministry refusal was on the grounds of preserving annonymity of the individual women involved. Such a claim we believe is totally groundless as there is no possible way any individual could be identified by the Ministry providing this information. We believe this information should be available to the public and that the Ministry is deliberately holding back information that is in the public’s best interest to be aware of.

Ken Orr
By email: ken@righttolife.org.nz
Ref: H202005805
Dear Ken Orr
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to the Ministry of
Health (the Ministry) on 4 August 2020 for:

“1. The number of abortions that have been reported to the Ministry of Health since the 24
March 2020?2. The number of abortions that were on pregnancies of 20 weeks or more gestation?
3. The number of abortions post 20 weeks that were performed for the reason of
potentially disabled child?
4. The number of abortions that were 24 weeks or more gestation?
5. The number of medical abortions?
6. The number of medical abortions where the abortion drugs were couriered to the
woman to allow her to perform the abortion in her own home?
7. The number of abortions that were performed by Women’s Clinics in Masterton,
Palmerston North and Invercargill?
8. The number of abortions that were performed by registered midwives?
9. The number of abortions that were performed in Family Planning clinics?”
Data regarding abortions performed after 30 April 2020 is not yet available. Similar to other
collections administered by the Ministry, we expect there to be a 3 to 4 month lag between a
procedure occurring and the data becoming available for release. This allows for submission by
the provider and collation, analysis, and review by the Ministry.
The Ministry can provide the number and details of abortions performed since 24 March 2020 to
30 April 2020 as detailed below. The number of and details of abortions performed after 30 April
2020 is refused under section 18(g) of the Act, as this information is not held by the Ministry or
any other agency subject to the Act.

My responses to your questions are as follows:
“1. The number of abortions that have been reported to the Ministry of Health since the 24
March 2020?”
There were 307 abortions reported in the period 24 March 2020 to 31 March 2020 and 1,097
abortions reported for April 2020. This is a total of 1,404.

“2. The number of abortions that were on pregnancies of 20 weeks or more gestation?”
Seven abortions were reported in the period 24 March 2020 to 30 April 2020 for pregnancies
where the estimated duration was 20 weeks or more.

“3. The number of abortions post 20 weeks that were performed for the reason of potentially
disabled child?”
The Ministry does not collect this data and there are no grounds to believe this information is
held by another agency subject to the Act. As such, this part of your request is refused under
section 18(g) of the Act.

4. The number of abortions that were 24 weeks or more gestation?
One abortion was reported in the period 24 March 2020 to 30 April 2020 for pregnancies where
the estimated duration was 24 weeks or more.

“5. The number of medical abortions?”
There were 689 medical abortions reported in the period 24 March 2020 to 30 April 2020.

6. The number of medical abortions where the abortion drugs were couriered to the woman to
allow her to perform the abortion in her own home?

The Ministry does not collect this data and there are no grounds to believe this information is
held by another agency subject to the Act. As such, this part of your request is refused under
section 18(g) of the Act.

“7. The number of abortions that were performed by Women’s Clinics in Masterton, Palmerston
North and Invercargill?”
“8. The number of abortions that were performed by registered midwives?”
“9. The number of abortions that were performed in Family Planning clinics?”

Information in response to parts 7, 8 and 9 of your request is withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the Act, to protect the privacy of individuals. Releasing this information may indirectly identify
the people that it relates to due to the specific nature of these questions.

I trust that this information fulfils your request. Under section 28(3) of the Act you have the right
to ask the Ombudsman to review any decisions made under this request.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website.

Yours sincerely

Clare Perry

Acting Deputy Director-General

Health System Improvement and Innovation