Abortion ‘victory’ claimed

Press, 23 June 1981, Page 11

Abortion ‘victory’ claimed

PA Nelson New Zealand women could claim a “staggering political

victory” in the abortion issue, the Women's Electoral Lobby’s national conference in Motueka was told at the week-end. Ms Robyn Moore, a Nelson spokeswoman for the Sisters : Overseas Service, said that women had had abortions in spite of the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion : Act. Using figures put out by the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child, she ; said that the number of " < abortions now equalled the I level before the act had been introduced in 1977: about i 5800 a year. i She said. “Were back to i square one. In only four ’

years we have made the system answerable to our needs.”

Ms Moore said that in Nelson women had been able to make a mockery of the law by knowing it backwards and. by doing a “consumer analysis” of certifying consultants to find out their attitudes to abortion. Review procedures which were thought to be the key to stopping abortions could now be manipulated in women's interests. Ms Moore said. “It's relegated S.P.U.C. to the same corner as the Flat Earth Society: totally irrelevant.” She urged the conference to continue to fight for the repeal of the act ’ and to restate its belief in a woman's right of a free choice regarding abortion. Delegates to the conference passed unanimously two remits from the Bay of Islands delegation calling for census forms to include an assessment of the amount of voluntary work being done by women. The remits said that the census forms should be altered to include questions assessing how much unpaid work was done inside and outside the home and in child-minding duties and a recognition of the needs of non-income-earning sections of the population.

which included many of the lobby's aims and could be seen as a goal for all New Zealand women.

The delegates also decided that the lobby could act as a collection and distribution agency for individuals wanting to give money to women standing for Parliament. The lobby has conducted a survey of all women candidates. giving their votes in the 1978 election and attitudes (where supplied) on issues such as child-care, abortion, and the working women's charter. New constitution The delegates adopted a constitution.

The lobby's political coordinator, Ms Donna Glendining. said'that the lobby's legal identity had been undergoing a refining process for the last three years.

The national organisation sought to become an incorporated society and minor amendments were needed to bring the constitution into line with the lobby's branches, which were already incorporated. The objects of the organisation are. in general, to lobby for measure which secure equal opportunity for women in all areas of life and to promote women's participation in political and public spheres. The delegates also adopted the idea of a permanent standing committee to cope with legislation and to present submissions. The suggestion was made by Ms L. Stoner, of Southland, who said that the branches should still he encouraged to make submissions as a learning process but that some legislation required extensive research which was beyond their scope.