Right To Life New Zealand Inc

Formerly Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (Christchurch Branch) Inc.

PO BOX 668
CHRISTCHURCH

Phone (03) 359 4326
Fax (03) 386 0447
Web Page www.rigbt-to-life.org

5 November 2000

PATRONS
Bishop John Cunneen D.D
Bishop M.I Wiggins B.A.,L.th.
Father Patrick Kennedy
Hon. H.J. Walker C.M.G., J.P., K.C.L.J
Rev JA. Haverland B.A., B.D., Th.M.
Mr Graham Capill B.D. LL.B.
Prof. Scott Davidson M.A. (CANTAB)

MEDIA RELEASE

The statements made by Dr Christine Forster, chairperson of the Abortion Supervisory Committee, in the Sunday Star Times, 5 November, are alarming and raise serious questions about the rule of law in our society and the commitment of the Committee to fulfill its statutory duties.

The Committee is appointed by Parliament to ensure that the administration of the abortion laws upholds the rights of unborn children to life.

Dr Forster states that “We do essentially have abortion on demand or request....” The Committee wanted to see abortion removed from the Crimes Act, stating that abortion is purely a health issue. It is not. The Crimes Act rightly recognises that abortion is a crime against a person and a human rights issue which is in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child.

Dr Forster has made a public admittance that the law is being flouted. She states that 98% of abortions are approved on the grounds that proceeding with the pregnancy would result in serious danger to the mental health of the mother. Dr Forster said that she did not believe all those women we in serious danger. “ I think people are fitting the grounds to the women” said Dr Forster.

This is a serious indictment of the doctors authorising pseudo-legal abortions. The public is entitled to ask what is the Medical Association going to do about this scandalous situation?

Dr Forster and her committee have abjectly failed in their statutory duty to ensure that New Zealand unborn children have the protection of the laws intended by Parliament in the passing of the Contraception Sterilisation and Abortion Act in 1977 (CS&A Act).

The Minister of Justice is ultimately responsible for the administration of the Crimes Act and the CS&A Act and for the performance of the Abortion Supervisory Committee.

To uphold the rule of law he should demand that abortion on demand cease and that the lives of unborn children be protected by upholding the abortion laws.

He should also seek the immediate replacement of the Committee with members committed to upholding the law.

The Minister in his pending review of the abortion laws should ensure that the law be changed to give statutory recognition to the status of the unborn child as a human being with a right to life.

Doctors were held accountable at the Gisborne cervical cancer enquiry. Why are doctors not being made accountable for the taking of the lives of unborn children?

Ken Orr

Spokesperson

Phone: 03 385 6111
Fax: 03 3860447

© Scoop Media