“Atrocious” – ‘Born-alive’ provision voted down by MPs

Media Release 11 March 2020
In a shocking display of human rights abuse in New Zealand, an amendment to the Abortion Legislation Bill which required the care of a child born after an attempted abortion was only supported by less than a third of MPs.

The amendment of National MP Simon O’Connor clarified that a qualified health practitioner who performed an abortion that results in the birth of a child after an attempted abortion has a duty to provide the child with appropriate medical care and treatment, no different than the duty owed to provide medical care and treatment to any other child born.

“We should be protecting the lives of innocent babies. We should be making abundantly clear, especially in this abortion legislation, that this is an obligation on medical professionals. This amendment would simply reinforce this obligation. But this vote is actually just confirmation of how extreme and radical this bill is – and the agenda of its supporters,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

“Last night’s voting was a shameful display of an utter disrespect for human rights.”

“This is not about politics – this is about having a heart.”

ENDS