MEDIA RELEASE

8 October 2010 Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand

ALRANZ Supports Australian Pro-Choice Day of Action

ALRANZ today expressed its strong support for Saturday’s National Day of Action by Australian pro-choice groups over the upcoming trial in Queensland of a young woman and her partner who face charges in relation to an alleged illegal abortion.

ALRANZ President Dame Margaret Sparrow said the case, which is being prosecuted under Queensland’s antiquated anti-abortion laws, shows the urgent need for abortion to be decriminalised, as has been done in Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory.

“Pro-choice groups in Australia have called for the Queensland government to take this step, just as groups in New Zealand have done so with respect to our law,” she said.

Dame Margaret said because the two young people in Queensland face possible prison terms in the case, which begins in a Cairns court on Tuesday (12 Oct.), the need to reconsider whether abortion belongs in criminal statutes is all the more urgent.

Tegan Leach, aged 19 when she was charged in April last year, and her partner Sergie Brennan, could face prison terms of 7 and 3 years respectively in the case. Ms. Leach is alleged to have used abortion drugs to end her pregnancy, while Mr. Brennan is accused of supplying the drugs.

ALRANZ and other pro-choice groups are watching this case with concern. “Prosecuting a young woman and her partner under such repressive laws is a chilling step,” Dame Margaret said. “And as long as abortion continues to be treated as a crime and not a medical matter, the risk of such prosecutions will remain.”

For more information on the case, visit:
http://issues.co.nz/abortion/Abortion+Around+the+World and click on “What’s Happening in Queensland?”

ENDS

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