PM's Presser: Abortion, Foreign Elections & Prison Abuse
Prime Ministers Post Cabinet Press Conference 13 September 2004
By Kevin List
In This Edition:
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Judith Collins' Proposed Amendments Regarding Abortion
Answers relate to recent statements from National MP Judith Collins calling for a change to legislation which would
mean it was mandatory for medical staff to advise parents of their children's desire to have an abortion. Similar
territory was canvassed by former National Party Leader, Bill English, earlier this year.
"Firstly the law not requiring an under 16 year old to advise parents has been in place for 27 years. To the best of
one's knowledge it hasn't caused problems in 27 years. I'm strongly opposed to what Ms Collins is advocating [See… Judith Collins Statement] for all the reasons which have been set out by medical professionals today. It would be an absolute tragedy if under
16 year olds were seeking backyard abortions because of a requirement for medical professionals to break privacy and
tell their parents."
"Now as the Associate Minister of Justice has set out in the vast majority of families these things will be discussed
within families, but there are cases where there is incest and abuse and dysfunction where it isn't appropriate. I do
not think the law should be changed. I think it would endanger the health and safety of young girls."
"Anything in this area is a conscience vote but my understanding is that people are fully aware that this has been in
the law for 27 years. It went into law at the time – the legislation was known as the 'Wall Bill.' It certainly wasn't
radical legislation and as I say it is not apparent to me that it has caused problems."
"The issue really in my mind is why it has cropped up in this Bill at all because this Bill rolls over a number of
provisions of existing law and Ms Collins is clearly trying to take the opportunity to change a long standing provision
of the law."
"I would expect that she [Judith Collins] would not speak for her entire caucus on the matter."
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Elections In The United States And Australia
The Prime Minister declined to comment on overseas elections in both the United States and Australia
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Travel To Indonesia
Answers relate to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advice regarding travel to Indonesia following a car bomb exploding
outside the Australian Embassy last week.
"I think it was a line call on Friday [the advice given to travellers]. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade advice
has talked about the likelihood of terrorist attacks, dangers to western interests. A lot of people would look at that
and take their own message or warning from it. But then as the period went on and the Indonesian Government started to
speak very publicly about its understanding that another group of terrorists associated with the ones who planted the
bomb outside the Australian Embassy were still active, and looking for opportunities for another bomb attack to be made.
And when other embassies are starting to alert their nationals not just to the general threat against western style
shopping malls and complexes but very specific shopping malls and complexes, then you are entering new territory. It was
on that basis that the travel advisory was revised yesterday.
"We are very satisfied with, very happy with, very pleased with the flow of intelligence we get on the matter. And we
are in constant liaison with the relevant authorities."
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Compensation And Prison Abuse
Yesterday National Party Leader Don Brash called for retrospective legislation that would deny inmates from receiving compensation for prison abuse – or as a National Party press release referred to the unlawful actions of the Department of Corrections treatment of
inmates – 'alleged human rights abuses'. More than a week ago, the Minister of Justice, Phil Goff, had referred to the
prisoner's claims of abuse as "spurious" on National radio. Given the 'alleged abuse' and the 'spurious claims' were found to have taken place by Justice Ron Young, it may
perhaps be logically assumed that this 'alleged abuse' could have been inflicted upon 'alleged criminals' serving
sentences for 'spurious convictions'.
Answers below relate to both the prison abuse that was found by Justice Ron Young to have occurred, and to Dr Brash's
call for retrospective legislation to stop this sort of thing happening again – i.e. payouts to abused prisoners – not
prison abuse itself.
"Mr Goff is saying that he wants legislation to deal with the matter for the future. Dr Brash seems to have just woken
up and heard that it was an issue from a week ago. The issue always is should it be retrospective or not. He seems to be
raising retrospectivity [as an issue].
"I think you have to be careful with what signals you are sending here. It's not acceptable to have basic agreed rights
for the prisoners taken away, and that was the problem in these cases. It seems to me that people would expect the
prison system to be held to account.
"The problem comes when that holding to account sees murderers and other violent criminals walking away with money. Most
people would say 'yes you have to hold the prison system to account for treating people according to the basic rights
they have' that doesn't mean compensation should be paid to criminals. That money would be better going to their victims
or the families if the victim is deceased in the case of murderers'."
ENDS