WONAAC
MEDIA RELEASE
Women’s National Abortion Action Campaign
June 10, 2008
Pro-Choice Group Condemns Harassment of Women and Doctors
The Women’s National Abortion Action Campaign today condemned the on-going judicial harassment of women and
doctors by anti-abortion groups, and called on the government to support the Abortion Supervisory Committee in its
commitment to staying out of doctors’ consulting rooms.
Today’s judgment by Justice Miller is just the latest round in the anti-choice movement’s attempts to deny New
Zealand women the right to control their lives, WONAAC said.
In this case, Right to Life effectively wants a statutory government committee to second-guess a private medical
decision.
“Already women have to see at least 2 to 3 doctors before they can get an abortion,” said a WONAAC spokeswoman
Alison McCulloch. “By focusing on the legality issue, the anti-choice groups are trying to scare doctors into denying
women the right to decide when they have children.”
“The best way of clarifying the legal situation surrounding abortion would be to repeal the current abortion
laws. Failing that, the government must make clear it will not countenance restrictions on women’s rights and witch
hunts against doctors,” she said.
“If Right to Life is so concerned at New Zealand’s abortion rate, why isn’t it campaigning for free, easily
accessible contraception?”
ENDS