17 September 2013
Secretary,
Abortion Supervisory Committee,
Dear Ms Anne Melkiau,
Dr Snook (pictured), Certifying Consultant – Abortion is about Choice
I wish to bring to your attention statements made by Dr Simon Snook in the October issue of the magazine North & South. Dr Simon Snook is a certifying consultant and an abortionist.
He is quoted as saying:
‘I have never met anyone who is flippant about doing a termination. But I don’t view an embryo or fetus as having the same rights as the person potentially having to raise it in the world. For me to have to say she is mentally unwell –or will be if the pregnancy continues-is a misnomer. This is about choice.”
The statement of Dr Snook is an affirmation of his belief that abortion is a matter for a woman to choose. The Crimes Act 1961 sets out in section 183, Procuring abortion by any means states that, everyone is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years, who with intent to procure the miscarriage of any woman or girl, whether she is pregnant or not, unlawfully administers to her any poison or drug or uses an instrument to procure a miscarriage. The killing of a child by abortion is thus a very serious crime. Abortions are however excused for serious and rare grounds set out under section 187A.