Bellamak is the head of the Abortion Law Reform Association of NZ (ALRANZ).

Bellamak submitted an official complaint calling Voice For Life's (VFL) billboard (pictured above) on Cuba Street in Wellington "offensive" and claiming that it violated rules around ‘social responsibility', ‘decency and offensiveness' and ‘truthful presentation.'

The complaint was rejected by the Chair of the ASA, who stated that: "political commentary within advertising was not only acceptable but encouraged, as it is an essential and desirable part of the functioning of a democratic society."

The Chair went on to say: "in a free and democratic society, differences of political opinion should be openly debated without undue hindrance or interference from authorities"

"It is extremely concerning to see that the head of the country's most vocal abortion lobby group attempting to use official mechanisms like the ASA to silence dissent about Labour's extreme abortion bill" says VFL media spokesperson Kate Cormack.

"The fact that Terry Bellamak is calling it offensive to display an ultrasound image of an unborn child along with the statement ‘Both lives matter, both deserve better than an extreme abortion law' is simply unbelievable."

"What makes this failed attempt to suppress legitimate freedom of expression all the more astounding is that it is coming from an organisation who claims that we should ‘trust women'.

Yet here they are trying to deny Kiwi women access to all the information about this abortion bill" says Cormack.

The New Zealand parliament is currently considering an Abortion Legislation Bill that would decriminalise abortion.

• Source
  voiceforlife.org.nz
• parliament.nz
• asa.co.nz
• Image: voiceforlife.org.nz

The demonstration is in response to a regular demonstration by pro life group Voice for Life demonstrators.

Abortion Law Reform Association (ALRANZ) member Scott Summerfield said the aim of the demonstration was to support women seeking abortion services at the hospital.

"They harass and humiliate women coming here for an abortion," he said.

However, Voice for Life Hauraki Branch secretary Lyn Hopkins said the pro-life group's demonstrations were peaceful.

She denied that any of the demonstrators in her group had harassed women going in for an abortion.

"We just say good morning to people walking past and if somebody wants to talk to us they can," she said.
"We offer advice, care and support if they want it.

"We want these people to think about the issue and to be there to support women who want to make a better choice in their life and that is to choose life for their child."

Green MP Catherine Delahunty was at the demonstration.

"I don't think that they have an understanding of how damaging these actions have been, not only to those women going to the health services but for people who have been traumatised by their own experiences," she said.

Hopkins said the Voice for Life group could not demonstrate on August 5 because it didn't have a permit from Thames Coromandel District Council.

The group had been demonstrating without a permit for about five years because they weren't aware they needed one, she said.

However, they intended to resume their protest as soon as they could get a permit, she said.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

"Smith is within his coronial rights to describe Edna Gluyas' death as suicide or euthanasia, but to call for Parliament to yet again confront euthanasia is simply irresponsible in the light of what we now know about widespread elder abuse in New Zealand," he said.

And Ken Orr, Spokesperson for Right to Life, says his organisation believes that Smith's request is "reprehensible and a deadly threat to the common good".

" It is concerning that a Coroner should be advocating a culture of death with the murder of the vulnerable," he said.

Source

• Voice for life Inc: Stuff.co.nz
• Right to life: Voxy
• Image: ACU
  

The advertisment was placed by the Voice for Life Bay of Plenty Charitable Trust.

Chairman Don Brebner said it was a collective response from churches over abortion services being brought to Tauranga.

"When you are dedicated with respect for life, you're obviously obliged to do what you can."

Brebner said there were several support services in the community that could help mothers in situations where they might not be able to afford to bring a baby into the world.

"Up to now, the Catholics have worked through the Magellan Trust and it has helped nearly 100 or more women in that situation over the past five years."

The trust was connected to the St Vincent de Paul Society in providing financial assistance to people who needed it, he said.

Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand executive member Alison McCulloch questioned what concrete support the churches could offer and said she hoped the approach was genuine, regardless of the women's eventual decision.

Tauranga Family Planning Clinic began abortion services in April this year.

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
• Image: SunLive

Statistics New Zealand figures, released on Wednesday, show a total of 14,745 induced abortions were performed last year, 1118 fewer than in 2011.

There were 193 abortions per 1000 known pregnancies last year, compared with 204 the previous year - the lowest abortion rate since 1995, when there were 191 abortions per 1000 known pregnancies.

Dr Morgan Healey, president of the Abortion Law Reform Association on New Zealand, (ALRANZ), says better contraception appears to be playing a role in the continued decline in abortions.

Healey said much more can be done to make the newer contraceptives more accessible and affordable.

The pro-life organisation Voice for life questions the ALRANZ assertion that better contraception is bringing about the decrease.

"Nobody really knows why the number of abortions registered every year is decreasing. We can speculate, for example, the Abortion Law Reform Association of NZ (ALRANZ) claims that the decrease may be due to more widespread use of contraceptives."

"Voice for Life could argue that it is due to a greater awareness of what babies look like in the womb. Ultrasound pictures are now very common and pregnant women show them to their friends, work colleagues and family members. Such pictures may have some influence on choosing whether to have an abortion or continue the pregnancy."

ProLife NZ spokesperson Mary-Anne Evers says that there are a number of factors behind this drop including a greater awareness of the development of the child in the womb, and the ongoing work of pro-life groups around New Zealand, such as ProLife NZ.

"While we are pleased with this significant drop in the number of abortions, the statistics still represent 14,475 abortions too many." Ms Evers says.

"There is still much work to be done."

"Our vision is for a country where no women needs to choose abortion, where every women feels supported to be able to choose life for their child."

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
  
• Voice for Life
• TVNZ
• Voxy
• Image: s3.jrnl.ie