Right to Life New Zealand

Upholding the sanctity of Human life and Standing Up for the Vulnerable

These 34 New Zealand Organisations Supported the Abortion Legislation Bill

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Back in mid February 2020 prior to the passing of Jacinda Ardern’s Abortion Legislation Bill, NZ Family Planning (NZFP) sent a letter (see below), to all our MP’s in support of the Bill. It was signed by the leaders of 34 prominent national and regional organisations, many representing women.

Right to Life seriously questions whether the decision to sign this letter by their organisational heads is representative of the views of the majority of members actually working in many of the professions represented by them. Take for example the fact that one of the signatories to the letter was Allison Eddy, the CEO of the NZ College of Midwives. Right to Life doubts that the majority of Midwives in New Zealand would support their being required, as would appear to be the case under the new law, to not just be involved with, but rather to actually perform medical and surgical abortions. We think most New Zealanders, when they discover this, will find it abhorrent. Midwives are the guardians of life not purveyors of death.

Do the majority of members of the NZ Council of Women support our new laws which effectively allow abortion on demand up to birth? Again we have major doubts.

Right to Life urges those who value our unborn children to take action by contacting their MP to express concern about the provisions of this extreme bill. As we get nearer the election it is important that all those who uphold innocent human life do all they can to raise awareness and to push back on the encroaching culture of death.

Chris O’Brien

President Right to Life

The letter reads..

Dear (MP),

As organisations and services working for the health, safety, rights, and wellbeing of New Zealanders, we strongly support the passage of the Abortion Legislation Bill.

At its core, this Bill is about supporting women and pregnant people’s autonomy, dignity and wellbeing.

A woman knows what makes sense for her health, her body and her future. She should be enabled to control her healthcare decisions. Health professionals must be able to provide their patients with the best care possible without unnecessary barriers.

Our current abortion laws – unchanged since 1977 – are out of date and not fit for purpose. They create unacceptable barriers to healthcare access; and in doing so increase the distress, delay and financial burden faced by someone who seeks to end a pregnancy. They also result in inequitable access to timely abortion services, particularly for women living in rural areas, people who already have limited access to healthcare, and people who are affected by physical and sexual violence.

We write to record our strong and united support for the Abortion Legislation Bill as a sensible framework for safe, legal and compassionate access to abortion care.

As the Members of Parliament who will determine whether or not this Bill becomes law, we urge you to vote yes for a more compassionate healthcare system in New Zealand.

Signatories:

  1. Family Planning – Jackie Edmond, Chief Executive
  2. Te Wh?riki Takapou – Dr Alison Green, Chief Executive
  3. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) – Dr Celia Devenish, Chair Te K?hui Oranga ? Nuku and Dr John Tait, Vice President
  4. Abortion Providers Group Aotearoa New Zealand (APGANZ)
  5. Te Ropu Wahine Maori Toko i te Ora Maori Women’s Welfare League Inc – Prue Kapua, National President
  6. New Zealand College of Sexual and Reproductive Health – Dr Jo Lambert, Deputy Chair
  7. Medical Sexual Assault Clinicians Aotearoa (MEDSAC) – Dr Min Lo, Chairperson
  8. New Zealand College of Midwives / Te K?reti o ng? Kaiwhakawh?nau ki Aotearoa – Alison Eddy, Chief Executive
  9. New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) – Memo Musa, Chief Executive
  10. Women’s Refuge – Dr Ang Jury, Chief Executive
  11. Women’s Health Action – Isis McKay, General Manager
  12. Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand (ALRANZ) – Terry Bellamak, President
  13. National Council of Women New Zealand (NCWNZ) – Lisa Lawrence, President
  14. Ara Taiohi, Matekino Marshall (Kaihaut?)
  15. Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW)– Lucy Sandford-Reed, Chief Executive
  16. New Zealand Women’s Law Journal — Te Aho Kawe Kaupapa Ture a ng? W?hine – Josie Te Rata, Editor-in-Chief
  17. Wellington Women Lawyers’ Association – Steph Dyhrberg, Convenor
  18. Korowai Youth Well-Being Trust (running the 298 Youth One Stop Shop) – Dame Sue Bagshaw DNZM, Chair
  19. The Collaborative Trust – Steve Langley, Chair
  20. UNICEF New Zealand – Vivien Maidaborn, Executive Director
  21. Amnesty International Aotearoa – Meg de Ronde, Executive Director
  22. New Zealand Prostitutes Collective – Dame Catherine Healy DNZM, National Co-ordinator
  23. Public Health Association of New Zealand, K?hui Hauora T?matanui – Dr Prudence Stone, Chief Executive
  24. New Zealand AIDS Foundation – Jason Myers, Chief Executive
  25. Positive Women Inc. – Jane Bruning ONZM, National Coordinator
  26. Social Workers for Choice – Liz Beddoe, Professor of Social Work
  27. UN Women Aotearoa New Zealand – Suzanne McNabb, President
  28. Pacific Women’s Watch New Zealand – Mrs Denise Te Tuhi Ewe, Chair
  29. New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Women’s Council – Rachel Mackintosh, CTU Vice President
  30. Federation of Women’s Health Councils Aotearoa New Zealand – Barbara Robson and Barbara Holland, Co-convenors
  31. New Zealand Association of Counsellors – Christine Macfarlane, President
  32. Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand – Shaun Robinson, Chief Executive, and Zoe Aroha Hawke, Manager, Policy & Advocacy, Community Engagement & Health Promotion
  33. New Zealand Sexual Health Society (NZSHS) Incorporated – Dr Julia Scott, President
  34. Te H? o Hine-ahu-one Palmerston North Women’s Health Collective – Jean Hera, Manager and Community Health Worker
This is the website of Right to Life NZ Inc.