Entire abortion committee resigns

The Abortion Supervisory Committee has advised that the Abortion Standards Committee has resigned.

The Standards Committee consisted of experts in the fields of obstetrics and gynaecology, women’s health, primary care, nursing and counselling, and was set up under section 15 of the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977 to develop standards for the provision of abortion services. The committee was appointed by the Abortion Supervisory Committee, but its membership was never made public. It could well have been some of these people.

Justice Miller in the High Court in Wellington on 9 June
stated that “there is reason to doubt the lawfulness of many abortions authorised by certifying consultants, we have abortion on request.”

Justice Miller confirmed that the Committee does in fact have the power to hold certifying consultants accountable for the lawfulness of abortions they authorise and to question them why they are using mental health grounds to authorise 98 percent of abortions.

In light of the court case, the Standards Committee would have a difficult job developing standards within the law without changing current practices, given that most abortions are done unlawfully. Given that this committee was directed by the Abortion Supervisory Committee, one wondered why it existed in the first place.

Meanwhile Justice Miller will again be hearing the ongoing case between Right To Life and the Abortion Supervisory Committee on 20 July. Right to Life wants to have Justice Miller issue clear declarations to the Abortion Supervisory Committee setting out its statutory powers and duties.

In the past financial year fees amounting to $5,048,096 – excluding GST – were paid to people to kill unborn children.