The Prime Minister made a commitment after the 2017 election that New Zealand would have the most accountable and
transparent government we have ever seen.
However this Labour led government has proven to be one of the most unaccountable and nontransparent governments we have
ever seen.
Right to Life has written to the Prime Minister on four separate occasions to ask her to answer our questions on key
life issues. We have either received no response or unsatisfactory one line answers.
Right to Life believes that we must protect our Parliamentary democracy, lest we lose it. When the Prime Minister or any
Member of Parliament exercises their right to speak or vote in our Parliament on legislation, they are performing a
public duty. It is recorded in Hansard for all to see, indeed for posterity and its a matter of public record.
We believe that the public have an absolute right to ask the Prime Minister and other Members of Parliament (and receive
answers regarding their reasons) as to their reasons for voting for or against legislation brought to Parliament. Those
who govern, do so with the permission of the electorate. If the Prime Minister is not prepared to be transparent and
accountable, why is she expecting us to give her permission to govern us for a further term?
On 10 March 2020, Jacinda Ardern voted against the eight pro-life amendments to the Abortion Legislation Act that would
provide increased protection to women and their unborn. One amendment, that of Simon O’Connor, would have provided
appropriate medical care to a child born alive in a late term abortion. Another amendment, that of Agnes Loheni, would
have given pain relief prior to an abortion to a child of post 20 weeks to avoid its suffering pain while being
violently dismembered in the womb. We asked her on 13th March 2020 if she would please advise us why she voted against
these compassionate amendments; there was no reply.
Right to Life also wrote twice to the other 68 MPs who voted for the Bill, comprising 36 Labour, 20 National, two NZ First, eight Greens, one ACT and one Independent. They were asked why they
voted against the pro-life amendments; None replied except Louisa Wall.
Right to Life also asked Jacinda Ardern for the following important information:-
On 6th January 2020, if she would support our Society’s campaign for women’s equality by supporting the right of women
to be born; there was no reply.
On 14 February 2020, under the Official Information Act, we asked the Prime Minister “if she had a policy to support a
replacement birth rate of 2.1 (necessary to demographically maintain a natural population), or better and are you
committed to implementing policies that will achieve a replacement birth rate of 2.1.” Her Chief of Staff advised that,
“the Prime Minister had no such policies.”
Right to Life asked Jacinda Ardern on 21st April 2020, under the Official Information Act, “What medical or biological
evidence do you have that the unborn child is not a human being with a right to life until it is born?” She refused to
answer and referred our request to the Ministry of Justice.
Why then is it, that Jacinda Ardern has consistently refused respectful requests from Right to Life for information on
her policies and actions.