Leoba Devana is serving time in the jail on Buka Island, part of Papua New Guinea’s Autonomous Region of Bougainville after having an abortion. She was charged and convicted – erroneously, in the eyes of a coalition of senior medical, legal and human rights advocates in Port Moresby who have taken up her case – Read more
A website aimed at sharing information about doctors and other medical professionals who oppose contraception and abortion for moral or religious reasons was launched last week. It is is called My Decision/Kei a au te Whakataunga (www.mydecision.org.nz). It is owned by the Abortion Law Reform Association of NZ. Last year ALRANZ condemned a group of Southland Read more
Marinda Brits and Norman Holleman would not have their miracle baby if they’d followed a midwife’s advice to have an abortion. The Auckland residents got devastating news in November when Brits was 21 weeks pregnant. A scan showed low amniotic fluid levels surrounding the baby boy and they were told he was dying and they’d Read more
Abortion will always be divisive, as it’s highly unlikely that the polarised groups will ever agree. But what many do agree on is the need to keep talking about an issue that just won’t go away. A drunken night out, sex with an ex. It’s not an unusual story. But a few weeks later, Katherine (whose name Read more
Complaints about a television campaign by an anti-abortion group have been dismissed, despite ones about a print advertisment from the same group being upheld. A series of television advertisements by Voice for Life featured a young woman, Ariana, who had an abortion at 15. In the advertisements, which aired on TVNZ, Ariana discussed the effects Read more
Could infanticide become legal here in New Zealand? The state of Victoria gives us a clue. A coalition of feminist groups, politicians and leading doctors campaigned for the decriminalisation of the state’s abortion law. The Abortion Law Reform Act was passed by the state Parliament in October 2008. Two medical ethicists have put the case for Read more
An Australian acadamic is calling for more research into the impact of abortion in Pacific countries. Joanna Spratt is a PhD candidate at the Australian National University’s Crawford School of Public Policy. She says governments need to start looking at reforming highly-restrictive legislation. Ms Spratt hopes the Pacific will make progress towards decriminalization and providing Read more
An anti abortion float containing a two metre model of a foetus has been banned from participating in Alexandra’s Blossom Festival parade. Festival organisers have deemed the float too offensive to appear in the 57th annual procession through the Central Otago, New Zealand town on Saturday. Bruce Lietze says he had been working on the Read more
An advertisement in the Bay of Plenty Times in Friday 2 August and a lists 25 local ministers of religion who promise pregnant women that they will do all they can to “bring a healthier solution for you and life to your precious child.” The advertisment was placed by the Voice for Life Bay of Plenty Charitable Trust. Read more
A doctor with name suppression has been suspended for six months and ordered to pay legal costs of $29,000 for illegally prescribing a drug that can induce labour. She has also been banned from prescribing or supplying misoprostol for three years after resuming practice – an order that can be signed off only by the health Read more