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A number of pro-life organisations joined forces in a March for life in Wellington on Saturday.
The march comes after a Labour-led Government’s proposal to remove abortion from the Crimes Act, as well as a Law Commission report into the topic earlier this year.
It’s the second year the March for Life has been held in Wellington – last year’s marked 40 years since the passing of the Act that allowed abortions to become more easily available.
Organisers say this year the crowd was double the size.
Radio New Zealand reported that about 1200 people, including former prime minister Sir Bill English, were at the rally.
They assembled in Te Ngākau Civic Square and then marched through the central city to the grounds of Parliament to listen to a number of speeches by family advocates and National Party MPs, including Simon O’Connor and Alfred Ngaro.
O’Connor said people should stand up for what they believed in.
“I hope with your voices, we will not be silent. We will always stand for life – a consistent ethic of life.
We will be proud, and we will never stop fighting.”
Family Life International NZ’s spokesperson Michelle Kaufman said it was that “health issue” idea that had sparked the protest action.
“Abortion is not healthcare … Healthcare is about providing the medical needs of patients.
It does not end the life of one for the convenience of the other,” she said.
“Today we march in defence of the right to life and proper health care of pre-born children and their mothers. Today we offer hope.”
The New Zealand abortion rate increased slightly in 2017 to 13.7 abortions per 1000 women, compared to 13.5 in 2016, according to Statistics New Zealand.
In total, 13,285 induced abortions were performed in 2017, an increase of 462 (3.6 per cent) on the previous year.
About one in every five pregnancies ended in abortion, the data showed.
Source
- stuff.co.nz
- radionz.co.nz
- Image: stuff.co.nz
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