Media Release 21 December 2021
The Minister in continuing to refuse to protect the unborn child has failed in his duty to protect the weakest and most defenceless member of our human family. As a consequence of his failure to fulfil the duties of his office Right to Life requests that the Minister resign his warrant as the Minister of Justice. In the event that he does not resign, we request that the Prime Minister remove him.
The Minister of Justice, Kris Faafoi who has the privilege and duty to provide effective legal protection for the lives of all New Zealanders from implantation to natural death continues to uphold the legal fiction that the unborn child does not become a human being with a right to life until it is born.
He continues to refuse to seek amendment of the law to recognise that the unborn child is a human being with a right to life by repealing section 159 of the Crimes Act 1961. The unborn child is one of us. When the Minister denies the humanity and the right to life of the unborn child he is denying our humanity and right to life.
He continues to assert that Parliament has the right to decide who is a human being and who has a right to life. Today the government denies the humanity of the unborn child, tomorrow the government may deny the humanity of those with dementia and Alzheimers disease.
Right to Life asked the Minister in August 2021 under the Official Information Act,
“What scientific or other evidence do you have to support section 159, Killing Unborn Child in the Crimes Act , which states that the unborn child does not become a human being until it is born.” He has acknowledged that he has no scientific evidence or other evidence to support his contention that the unborn child does not become a human being with a right to life until it is born.
It is simply incredible that in spite of the minister having no evidence to justify this legal fiction, he is prepared to uphold this injustice which results in the murder of more than 13,000 unborn New Zealanders every year, authorised and funded by the government. Right to Life believes that he does this because he has the support of the Prime Minister and the caucus of this government, many in Parliament and of course the media of New Zealand.
It is an unspeakable tragedy that the Minister does not recognise that life begins at conception and that every child is a unique and unrepeatable miracle of God’s loving creation, made in His image and likeness and endowed at conception with an inalienable right to life.
Right to Life makes no apology for continuing to be a voice for women and our unborn. We are committed to continue to campaign for legal recognition of the unborn child as a human being endowed by its Creator with an inalienable right to life.
Ken Orr,
Spokesperson,
Right to Life N.Z. Inc.