ALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa denounces the US Senate’s confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court seat formerly held by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

“This action demonstrates the rank hypocrisy of the once-respected upper chamber of the US Congress. In the last year of President Obama’s term, the Republican-controlled Senate refused to hold confirmation hearings on Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court so close to an election. Now the Republican-controlled Senate has rushed through hasty confirmation of Trump’s nominee in the final weeks before the election. Their actions make a mockery of what was once held to be one of the premier deliberative bodies in the world,” said ALRANZ president Terry Bellamak.

Judge Barrett’s fringe conservative views are expected to lead to the overturning of US Supreme Court precedents around human rights, civil rights, reproductive rights, voting rights, separation of church and state, and control over corporations.

“This is a sad day for the people of the USA. We fear many more people may soon be forced to become parents against their will, or seek abortions outside the health care system at the risk of prosecution. We hope Americans turn out to vote – to mitigate the effects of this ugly, hypocritical confirmation,” said Bellamak.

“At this point, Justice Roberts is presiding over a Supreme Court that may be losing not only its respect and persuasiveness in other jurisdictions, but even its legitimacy in the eyes of Americans.”

New Zealand reformed its abortion laws in March of 2020, decriminalising the procedure and aligning it with other health care.

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