The Green Party supports the decriminalisation of abortion.
Having an abortion in New Zealand is still a crime under the Crimes Act, unless a pregnant woman faces a danger to her life, physical or mental health.
The Greens wants to make abortion freely available to women up to 20 weeks pregnant. Read Green Party Press Release
Prolife New Zealand spokesperson Rebecca Vergunst says “It’s a shame that the Greens, an otherwise progressive party in the area of disability rights and human dignity, would support such extreme measures that run so contrary to their stated principles.”
“This policy now effectively sees the Greens become NZ’s ‘abortion party’” she said. Read Prolife New Zealand Press release
At present, a woman needs the approval of two certifying consultants.
The doctor performing the abortion has to believe it is immediately necessary to save the life of the patient or to prevent serious permanent injury to her physical or mental health, or has to believe the foetus would have a serious disability.
The latest figures on abortion held by Statistics New Zealand show that in 2012 the abortion rate had fallen to a 17-year low.
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Additional reading
- How Green’s became NZ’s abortion party
- Greater support over abortion advocated
- Bill Against ‘Wrongful Birth’ Lawsuits Could Protect Disabled Children
News category: New Zealand, Top Story.