Right to Life is grateful for the moral leadership provided to our nation by the New Zealand Conference of Catholic
Bishops in defending God’s precious infants and their mothers from the violence of abortion.
Bishop Stephen Lowe, president of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference in a media release on 18 December 2023, following the
publication of the N.Z. abortion statistics annual report on 1st November by the Ministry of Health, stated that the New
Zealand bishops will continue to be advocates for legislative change which will recognise the unborn child from
conception, as a human being endowed by its Creator with an inalienable right to life.
Right to Life fully supports legislation that recognises the unborn child as the weakest and most defenceless member of
the human family who deserves our respect and protection. We call upon other denominational religious leaders to join
with the Catholic bishops of New Zealand in seeking justice for the unborn and their mothers.
The bishop’s statement reminds us that abortion is intrinsically evil and that it gives grave offence to our Creator. It
violates the fifth commandment of God, “Thou shalt not kill.”
Abortion is a violation of human rights and a crime against humanity.
The bishops call upon the government to “promote policies that reduce stresses that can lead to mother’s opting for abortion”.
Right to Life also requests the government to:-Seek the repeal of the extreme anti-feminist and anti- life Abortion Act 2020 that permits the state funded killing of
more than 12,000 defenceless unborn children each year up to birth effectively for any reason.Conduct a national campaign to encourage women considering an abortion to choose life for their child and have their
child placed with a loving family in an open adoption.Provide financial assistance to Family Life International in Auckland, who provide accommodation and loving care for
desperate pregnant women, who have chosen life for their child and who have need of help before and after the birth of
their child.
Right to Life reminds those whom we have elected to govern us, that their first duty is to legislate to protect the
right to life of every person from conception to natural death. Those who fail to uphold this duty should not be trusted
to govern the born and forfeit their right to sit in our Parliament.
Ken Orr,
Spokesperson,
Right to Life New Zealand Inc.