"It is time for the Coalition to accept that we can no longer afford the cumbersome and expensive apparatus that serves no purpose and consumes health care resources that could be redeployed into further contraceptive subsidies and other areas of Vote Health in need." Craig Young, Research Officer for the Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand today.

"The Abortion Supervisory Committee has no regulatory functions other than research, setting quality assurance standards for counselling, and urging the implementation of a detailed reproductive and sexual health strategy for this country based on a firm framework of comprehensive sexuality education. While it does an excellent job in those areas, and we hope the staff can be redeployed to a reproductive and sexual health unit in the Ministry of Health, the time has come for abortion law to reflect reality. As a conscientious lobby group, ALRANZ will continue to press for a more cost-effective legislative framework than the moribund Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act." Mr Young concluded.

Contact: Craig Young ALRANZ Research Officer (06) 3569099/7750

Dr. Margaret Sparrow ALRANZ National President (04) 4759886

© Scoop Media