Gordon Copeland Press Release
For Immediate Release
Thursday, 19th June 2008

Parliament needs to address the issue of abortion

Independent MP and Kiwi Party member Gordon Copeland today renewed his call for Parliament to address the issue of abortion, following the release of the Bioethics Council report “Who gets born?”

“It is interesting to note that the intensive deliberation undertaken by the Council, involving more than 700 New Zealanders, uncovered widespread public concern about the high abortion rate in New Zealand,” said Mr Copeland.

“The Council goes on to say that there is a sense now of dissatisfaction with this state of affairs. This confirms what I have been saying now for some time.”

“It is time we let go of the old polarities of “pro-choice” or “pro-life” since it seems clear that, no matter where you are in this debate, most people are now agreed that the number of abortions in New Zealand is now too high.”

“My Abortion (Informed Consent) Bill aims to overhaul the existing law to ensure that detailed counselling and information is made available to women, in facilities independent of the abortion clinics, before the decision to abort is made.”

“This change, coupled with the requirement that the woman’s own doctor must be satisfied that the decision to abort is of the woman’s own freewill, has the potential not only to reduce the number of abortions in New Zealand.”

“The ‘freewill’ provision of the bill is also vitally important since studies conducted in the United States reveal that a staggering 64% of women who have an abortion are coerced into their decision by others.”

“When all is said and done, it is actually very difficult for the nation to give an honest answer to the question “Who gets born?” without looking again at the question of abortion.”

ENDS

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