Labour pledges abortion review

Press, 24 July 1987, Page 1

Labour pledges abortion review

By

BRENDON BURNS,

political reporter

Abortion law would be reviewed by a re-elected Labour Government and might be changed to allow all qualified doctors, rather than just approved certifying consultants, to approve abortions.

Labour’s proposed change was discreetly mentioned on the second-to-last page of its women’s policy, released yesterday by the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Mrs Hercus.

The politically contentious change would attempt to end problems faced by women in provincial and rural areas who are forced to travel to the main centres for abortions. The West Coast is one such area.

Nationally, only a small number of doctors are prepared to act as certifying consultants in deciding if an abortion is justified.

The policy change proposed in the Labour Party’s women’s policy says: “The Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act will be reviewed, particularly taking into account the views and recommendations of the Abortion Supervisory Committee.” It notes, however, that abortion legislation is a conscience vote for all members of Parliament. In its report to Parliament in 1985 and again last year, the Abortion Supervisory Committee noted the small number of doctors prepared to be actively involved in considering abortions.

As a result, some areas where women sought legal abortions did not have the required certifying consultants available — a qualified medical practitioner and a senior doctor practising obstetrics and gynaecology. “Many women are required to travel to larger population centres for counselling and consideration, thus placing an unfair burden on certifying consultants and operating surgeons in the main centres, as well as themselves,” the 1985 report said.

It noted that the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act says in effect that women seeking an abortion should not have to face considerable travel or inconvenience. To avoid this, the committee said it had considered whether every qualified doctor upon registration should as a matter of course also become a certifying consultant.

It raised the question whether this would create any significant change in the total number of abortions.

But the committee said any law amendment would also need to allow doctors the right to refuse involvement in the abortion process. It also recommended that any law change maintain the requirement for a second consultation with a senior doctor practising obstetrics and gynaecology. The Medical Association gave a cautious response yesterday to the law change considered by the committee.

The association’s chairman, Mr Tony Baird, said the Medical Association would have to consider the implications of authorising all qualifying doctors to be certifying consultants.

“We would look at any proposal like that which came forward,” he said. But the association reflected a range of views on abortion in society. However, Mr Baird, who is an Auckland obstetrician and gynaecologist who also acts as a certifying consultant said, “I see this as one possible solution.” The present situation made it a problem for women who had to travel seeking abortions, he said.

Women’s policy, page 3