"The Catholic Church has learned through dark periods in our own history that banning free-thinking and persecuting those with different views is a shameful and retrograde step for society," said Bishop Patrick Dunn, NZCBC President.

In a referendum 1609 voted in favour of the ban and 1034 voted against the ban. AUSA has a total membership of around 15,000.

The referendum also questioned whether clubs with a "similar ideology" should be banned from affiliating in the future.

"A student-led group dedicated to advocating on ethical issues surrounding abortion and the welfare and support of women should be a welcome addition to the campus life at any University," said Bishop Dunn.

"New Zealand is a multi-faith, multi-cultural, multi-race community and our Universities ought to have the capacity to engage in meaningful dialogue on ethical and conscience issues."

Bishop Dunn went on to say, "I call on all Auckland University students who are committed to human rights and the protection of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion to encourage their representative body to reconsider this narrow-minded and regressive step."

Co-president of Prolife Auckland Jelena Middleton says that the outcome is "unjust, and legally dubious as it means that a group of students is being punished simply for exercising their legal right to peacefully express legitimate ethical views."

"What makes this process all the more frightening is the total lack of transparency, and the clear violations of natural justice that it has entailed" says Middleton.

"The referendum process was enacted by a totally anonymous person, the question was vaguely worded, there have never been any grounds given for what prompted such a drastic action, and we were only given a few days to prepare and present our case before the voting opened."

"It's doubtful that such an unjust process and outcome would be tolerated in any other sector of a free and open society like New Zealand. We are now seeking legal advice about the legality of this action and how it may have breached the NZ Bill of Rights."

Results of referenda that do not directly affect AUSA's financial or administrative processes are automatically binding.

However, the decision will not be finalised until AUSA had sought legal advice regarding the concerns raised by members.

Adam Jacobsen writing for Stuff says that AUSA affiliation was largely a symbolic acknowledgement from the student community that it wishes to be associated with that particular organisation.

Jacobsen said that the Pro Life Club would still be eligible to access university space and distribute information on campus, set up a club stall during orientation week, and receive funding.

But the pro life club has been informed that any application they now make for funding will be opposed by the AUSA on account of the new disaffiliated status.

Middleton said they will also have to pay more for rooms and resources controlled by AUSA now than they would have before when they were an affiliated club.

Source

• Supplied: Amanda Gregan Media Advisor New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference
• Stuff
• Scoop
• NewsHub
• Image: Times Higher education

A special general meeting attended by a large and noisy crowd in the university quad voted 227-125 yesterday against a motion to disaffiliate the ProLife Auckland club "for propagating harmful misinformation"

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Prolife Auckland was affiliated in 2011 after the removal of an 8 year ban against pro-life clubs.

Auckland University Student Association president Arena Williams has called for a special general meeting next month, which could see ProLife Auckland being barred from associating itself with the university.

An announcement for the meeting said the association would consider whether the "Prolife Club be disaffiliated for propagating harmful misinformation [sic]".

"Recently we've received complaints from students after [ProLife Auckland] handed out fliers at the campus," said Williams.

"On the fliers there was information which some felt was pressuring them into making different decisions than they normally would."

The "Right to Know" flier carries the slogan: "Hands up if you've heard this before: 'Abortion is a safe, simple medical procedure'."

Williams said it was "quite uncommon" for clubs to be disaffiliated, but she said ProLife wasn't being treated unfairly.

Meanwhile, Michael Otto, in the most recent New Zealand Catholic, reports that in February staff a Christchurch Women's hospital gave a woman inquiring about abortion two pieces of literature one of which was a pamphlet which uses language of "love,compassion and faith to justify a decision to terminate an unborn child".

The New Zealand Catholic quotes Sandra Martin, a Pregnancy Centre counsellor at John Paul II Centre for Life as describing the pamphlet as "shocking and very sad"

"The twisting of words around faith, love and compassion in a highly emotive way are of great concern as they can desensitise the woman to what is really happening" she said.

Source

• Auckland Now
• Pro Life Auckland Re-affiliates
• New Zealand Catholic - Not yet available online