Media Release 5 April 2022

Right to Life is disappointed that the leader of the National Party is refusing to recognise that the unborn child is a human being endowed by its Creator with human rights, the foundation right being an inalienable right to life. The unborn child is a unique and unrepeatable miracle of God’s loving creation, the weakest and most defenceless member of our human family that deserves our respect and protection.

 Right to Life has written three letters to him since his election as leader of the National party asking if he recognises that the unborn child, is a human being, with a right to life. We are disappointed that he has not replied.

The Crimes Act,1961, Section 159, Killing of a child, states that the unborn child does not become a human being with a right to life until it is born. This a legal fiction and a violation of human rights.

Our right to life is bestowed on us at conception by our Creator and it is this human right that makes us truly human. It is the duty of Parliament and the government to protect our human rights. Our right to life is not granted to us by Parliament or by the government.

Our right to life is a human rights issue, it is not a religious issue. Human life begins at conception, this is biological fact not a theological fact.

Those who govern do so with the permission of the governed. We have an absolute right to be a voice for the voiceless and to demand that those who seek to govern us recognise our unborn brothers and sisters as human beings endowed with a right to life and deserving of our respect and protection.

Christopher Luxon in his maiden speech applauded William Wilberforce for his tireless work to recognise Negros as human beings with a right to life and to abolish slavery. It was an appalling injustice to deny that black people were not human beings and were not bearers of human rights. Today it is an appalling injustice to deny that unborn children are not human beings with a right to life until they are born. This is the paramount human rights issue of this era.

Christopher Luxon also commendably proclaimed that he was, ”absolutely feminist.” Upholding the humanity of the unborn child is absolutely feminist. For it recognises the dignity of women and pregnancy.

Right to Life hopes that Christopher Luxon will be inspired by the example and words of William Wilberforce. who said,” let it not be said that I was silent when they needed me.” and “you may choose to look the other way but you can never say that you did not know.”

Today the humanity and right to life of our unborn the weakest and most defenceless members of our human family are being cruelly denied.

Right to Life requests that Christopher Luxon follows the heroic example of William Wilberforce and publicly declares that he recognises that unborn children are one of us and are human beings from conception endowed with an inalienable right to life. May he be the passionate political leader and advocate that our unborn desperately need.

Ken Orr,

Spokesperson,

Right to Life N.Z. Inc.