
9 January 2019
Right. Hon Jacinda Ardern,
Prime Minister,
Dear Prime Minister,
Official Information Act –Request.
At the Newstalk ZB’s Leader’s Breakfast just prior to the election you made the following statement.
“Yes I think abortion should come out of the Crimes Act, that does not mean for a moment that I am proposing what has been claimed, that you should be able to have on-demand abortion to birth. No that is absolutely not what I am saying. We of course must regulate… We have time periods already set out in the law and I am not proposing changes to that. I am proposing it comes out of the Crimes Act.”
The restriction of 20 weeks gestation is included in the Crimes Act section 187A and stipulates that abortions after 20 weeks may be authorised if;
“the person doing the act believes that the miscarriage is necessary to save the life of the woman or girl or to prevent serious permanent injury to her physical or mental health.”
Curia Market Research an independent pollster released in January 2018, polling of 1,013, just 9% support the current legal limit for an abortion of 20 weeks. Only 4% believe it should be later than 20 weeks, including up to birth. 50% think the time limit should be shorter than the current 20 weeks, and a further 36% were unsure. The median choice of those who did choose a time limit was 15 weeks.
Significantly, 56% of women think the time limit should be less than the current 20 weeks. And incredibly, 53% of those who generally support abortion think the time limit should be less than the current 20 weeks – 29% of abortion supporters say 10 weeks or less.
I wish to request under the Official Information Act the following information;
- Is it still your policy to retain a restriction on abortions imposed at 20 weeks gestation in the Crimes Act section 187A in your proposed legislation to decriminalise abortion?
- Is it your policy to accept dismemberment abortions that permit an abortionist to tear the arms, legs and head off an unborn child?
- Is it your policy to ensure that babies born alive from 22 weeks gestation following an abortion receive anti-natal care to protect their life?
- Is it your policy to support adoption in preference to abortion and if so what action is your government taking to promote adoption?
Yours sincerely
Ken Orr
Secretary