14 March 2002

Abortion Supervisory Committee Wastes Tax Money

“The Abortion Supervisory Committee is wasting tax-payer money on unnecessary legal opinions and court decisions and should be sacked for failing to uphold the current law,” Party Leader Graham Capill said today.

He was responding to news that the Abortion Supervisory Committee (ASC) has filed papers in the High Court seeking clarification on the use of the abortion pill, RU486.

“The ASC has already paid substantial money on a legal opinion from a QC, which clearly stated that it would be illegal for a termination to occur outside a licensed clinic or hospital.”

RU486 (or Mifepristone) must be administered by a doctor, but because it takes about six hours to abort the unborn child, a woman would most likely be at home when the drug takes effect.

“Clearly women’s lives will be put in danger if they have abortions at home. The ASC should not be trying to find ways around the law, but should be upholding it, especially when our small country already aborts over 16,000 unborn children each year.

“Legal opinions and court actions aimed at eroding the already ‘stretched’ interpretation of the law are a waste of precious health funds and Parliament should hold the ASC to account,” Mr Capill concluded.

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