Abortion

As a result, New Zealand now has one of the most extreme abortion laws in the world. A number of proposed amendments designed to remove some of the extreme aspects of the law (and supported by Family First) were all rejected by a majority of MPs.

•Born alive: explicit requirement in the new law that a qualified health practitioner who performed an abortion that results in the birth of a child after an attempted abortion has a duty to provide the child with appropriate medical care and treatment, no different than the duty owed to provide medical care and treatment to any other child born.

•Disability: explicit ban on disability discrimination abortions.

•Parents: parental involvement – abortion for minors treated like other health procedures. (See further discussion under PARENTS).

•Foetal Pain: requirement for abortion procedures post-20 week to ensure that the foetus does not feel pain (as per the Animal Welfare Act 1999 which requires vets to ensure that animals don’t feel pain!).

•Late Term: abortions post-20 weeks only for extreme and exceptional circumstances.

•Conscience: keeping conscientious objection standards the same as they currently are (the new law weakens the protections).