Paul Adams

THE FAMILY PARTY

www.thefamilyparty.org.nz

PRESS STATEMENT FOR RELEASE

Ruling breaks political taboo on abortion laws

11 June 08. Family Party deputy leader Paul Adams described the recent judgment of Justice Miller over the legality of abortion practice and procedure as a major breakthrough for the rights of the unborn child and the welfare of women.

Justice Miller this week delivered a judgment criticising the way New Zealand's abortion laws are applied, expressing "powerful misgivings" about the lawfulness of many abortions. Data from the Abortion Supervisory Committee tended "to confirm (the) view that New Zealand essentially has abortion on request", he said.

Paul Adams says “Government has been content over many years to live in a state of utter denial with regards to New Zealand’s culture of abortion on demand. This was never the intended outcome of our abortion laws. Thankfully the abuse of the law has been recognised by our justice system, which now provides the basis to effectively address the issue.”

More than 98 per cent of abortions were authorised on the grounds a woman's mental health was at risk. Justice Miller described that as "remarkably high… there is reason to doubt the lawfulness of many abortions authorised by certifying consultants," he said.

A Christchurch mother who has had an abortion was reported in The Press as saying, "They do it wrong… I got one doctor to sign it, and he asked, `Do you want counselling?' And I said `no', and that was it." (Abortion was too easy – mother 11 June 2008 by Phil Hamilton, The Press)

“Government must take ownership of this issue and force authorising consultants to apply the law as it was intended. A failure to do so effectively makes Parliament a party to the flawed and disastrous practice,” he added.

ENDS

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