Only 4% Want More Liberal Time Limits For Abortion

An independent poll of New Zealanders by Curia Market Research earlier this year found significant support for stricter time limits on abortion, including support from those who generally support abortion.

In the independent poll of 1,013 NZ’ers, just 9% support the current legal limit for an abortion of 20 weeks. Only 4% believe it should be later than 20 weeks (including up to birth). 50% think the time limit should be shorter than the current 20 weeks, and a further 36% were unsure. Of those who did pick a time limit, 15 weeks was the median choice, according to Curia.

This is in stark contrast to the proposed models put forward by the Law Commission last week, and completely repudiates calls by groups like Family Planning, ALRANZ and the National Council of Women who are promoting Model A which allows abortion on demand up to birth.

Significantly, 56% of women think the time limit should be less than the current 20 weeks. And incredibly, 53% of those who generally support abortion think the time limit should be less than the current 20 weeks – 29% of abortion supporters say 10 weeks or less.

Contrary to misrepresentation by pro-abortion groups, New Zealand women are either satisfied with the current regulation of abortion or want it made more restrictive, and don’t support the introduction of an extreme abortion law in New Zealand. The existing safeguards are there to protect women from unlicensed premises and coercion but that also give recognition to the unborn child, and they are ones most New Zealanders support.

The nationwide poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.