Abortion law change not on

Press, 7 October 1988, Page 2

Abortion law change not on

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Wellington The Government does not plan to change the sections that cover abortion when it introduces its new Crimes Bill in Parliament. This decision is making it hard for the Government to implement its 1987 election promise on legislation “to ensure all New Zealand women have access to safe, free, elective abortion.” Instead, the caucus of Labour women members of Parliament

is examining other options. Ms Elizabeth Tennet (Lab., Island Bay) said her colleagues intended to work behind the scenes to achieve changes on abortion issues. This has not yet included any undertaking to amend the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act, 1977, which is what some feminist lobby groups want. One of the most radical of these —• the Women’s National Abortion Action Campaign (W.0.N.A.A.C.) — has said it accepts the proposal of the

Labour women’s caucus to work behind the scenes, in the meantime. Both the Abortion Supervisory Committee and Ms Tennet have said publicly they are seeking a review of the 1977 act. In its 1986 report to Parliament the Abortion Supervisory Committee said it wanted to change the legislation to make all general practitioners certifying consultants. In each of its annual reports for the last three years it has called for a review of the legislation.

Ms Tennet said this was supported by the Labour women members but had been attacked by a National member of Parliament, Mr Graham Lee (Coromandel). He said this would not be supported by the public which, as a recent McNair survey had shown, gave only 10 per cent support to a more liberal attitude to abortion. W.O.N.A.A.C. said it would prefer to see the 1977 legislation redrafted to provide more liberal access to abortion, and also fairer regional access.