Bellamak is the head of the Abortion Law Reform Association of NZ (ALRANZ).

Bellamak submitted an official complaint calling Voice For Life's (VFL) billboard (pictured above) on Cuba Street in Wellington "offensive" and claiming that it violated rules around ‘social responsibility', ‘decency and offensiveness' and ‘truthful presentation.'

The complaint was rejected by the Chair of the ASA, who stated that: "political commentary within advertising was not only acceptable but encouraged, as it is an essential and desirable part of the functioning of a democratic society."

The Chair went on to say: "in a free and democratic society, differences of political opinion should be openly debated without undue hindrance or interference from authorities"

"It is extremely concerning to see that the head of the country's most vocal abortion lobby group attempting to use official mechanisms like the ASA to silence dissent about Labour's extreme abortion bill" says VFL media spokesperson Kate Cormack.

"The fact that Terry Bellamak is calling it offensive to display an ultrasound image of an unborn child along with the statement ‘Both lives matter, both deserve better than an extreme abortion law' is simply unbelievable."

"What makes this failed attempt to suppress legitimate freedom of expression all the more astounding is that it is coming from an organisation who claims that we should ‘trust women'.

Yet here they are trying to deny Kiwi women access to all the information about this abortion bill" says Cormack.

The New Zealand parliament is currently considering an Abortion Legislation Bill that would decriminalise abortion.

• Source
  voiceforlife.org.nz
• parliament.nz
• asa.co.nz
• Image: voiceforlife.org.nz

"Currently it's only available for exceptional circumstances, danger to the life and health of the mother, or the child," said McCoskrie

"But in this bill after 20 weeks gestation, a baby could be aborted as long as the practitioner who is going to perform the abortion, and immediately there's a conflict of interest, considers it appropriate in the circumstances."

He said he wanted to further restrict the pre-existing legislation from 20 weeks to the point where there is a foetal heartbeat.

But in her submission, `ALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa president Terry Bellamak said such a provision would give people almost no chance to get an abortion in most cases.

"At six weeks an embryo does not have a heart, what is does have is an electrical pulse in the part that's going to eventually develop into a heart, that can be detected at six weeks and that's before most people even know that they're pregnant."

There were about 13,000 abortions performed in New Zealand last year, according to Statistics New Zealand.

57 of those took place after 20 weeks' pregnancy.

Under the existing law, those seeking an abortion require legal certification from two consultants that having a child would damage their physical or mental health.

There are even more stringent provisions after 20 weeks.

Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand (ALRANZ) and the Family First were the only ones to make submissions on Tuesday.

The parliamentary Abortion Legislation Select Committee is taking submissions on the proposed Abortion Legislation Bill.

It will report back in February.

The bill passed its first reading, 94 in favour 23 against.

Source

• rnz.co.nz
• nzherald.co.nz
• tvnz.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: tvnz.co.nz

"ALRANZ is joined by five individual complainants whose experiences illustrate how New Zealand's current abortion laws discriminate against women and pregnant people, resulting in hurt feelings, loss of dignity and cruel, degrading and disproportionately severe treatment," said ALRANZ national president Terry Bellamak.

A Human Rights Commission spokesperson says it cannot comment on the case.

"It is not possible for us to speculate on the timing of a case that is currently before a judicial body but the indications are that it could be quite a while before the matter is heard by the Tribunal."

However, the spokesperson pointed out that the United Nations has repeatedly called for states to remove abortion from their criminal laws, remove regulatory and administrative barriers that impede women's access to safe abortion services, and provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and services to women.

"Going before the Tribunal could mean each of the six women may have to give evidence," Bellamak says.

"It will be a couple of years before the case is heard at this point, so we've got a bit of time to see how law reform works in practice and whether it addresses the fundamental breaches of which we complain."

Reforming conscientious objection is problematic, she says. "That's going to be tough because it's hard for a government to force doctors to make referrals for abortion care."

Source

• newsroom.co.nz
• voxy.co.nzstories
• scoop.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• tvnz.co.nz
• Image: tvnz.co.nz

The demonstration is in response to a regular demonstration by pro life group Voice for Life demonstrators.

Abortion Law Reform Association (ALRANZ) member Scott Summerfield said the aim of the demonstration was to support women seeking abortion services at the hospital.

"They harass and humiliate women coming here for an abortion," he said.

However, Voice for Life Hauraki Branch secretary Lyn Hopkins said the pro-life group's demonstrations were peaceful.

She denied that any of the demonstrators in her group had harassed women going in for an abortion.

"We just say good morning to people walking past and if somebody wants to talk to us they can," she said.
"We offer advice, care and support if they want it.

"We want these people to think about the issue and to be there to support women who want to make a better choice in their life and that is to choose life for their child."

Green MP Catherine Delahunty was at the demonstration.

"I don't think that they have an understanding of how damaging these actions have been, not only to those women going to the health services but for people who have been traumatised by their own experiences," she said.

Hopkins said the Voice for Life group could not demonstrate on August 5 because it didn't have a permit from Thames Coromandel District Council.

The group had been demonstrating without a permit for about five years because they weren't aware they needed one, she said.

However, they intended to resume their protest as soon as they could get a permit, she said.

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• stuff.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

The Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand set up a "give a little" web page to raise $300 to send the flowers, support messages and "sweet treats" to three abortion clinics.

"We want to balance out the vitriol and stigma perpetrated by the anti-choice '40 Days' campaign," ALRANZ stated on its "give a little" page.

The campaign raised $425 from 28 donors.

The amount above $300 is being spent on supporting other abortion clinics and providers, starting from Invercargill and moving north.

The 40 Days for Life campaign runs from February 10 to March 20, and is taking place outside AMAC in Auckland, Wellington Hospital and Christchurch Hospital.

Those participating in the vigils are praying for an end to abortion, for women who are considering an abortion -that they may chose life, for women who have had an abortion and who are now seeking spiritual and physical healing.

Prayer is being offered for those doctors and nurses involved in abortion industry that they might change and promote a culture of life.

But ALRANZ said the clinics involved are being targeted for harassment.

Right to Life spokesman Ken Orr rejected this charge.

"It is disappointing that ALRANZ, a small pro-abortion anti-feminist organisation, is opposed to prayers for an end to the killing of the unborn and for support for women to choose life for their unborn baby," Mr Orr said.

"This organisation is conducting a campaign of 40 days harassment of those praying in these vigils. There has been verbal abuse, theft of signs and prayer material.

"Those participating in the vigils will not be deterred by this harassment," Mr Orr said.

ALRANZ said it would be organising "some counter-protests".

Sources

• Give a Little
• Right to Life New Zealand
• Image: A Culture of Life

Statistics New Zealand figures, released on Wednesday, show a total of 14,745 induced abortions were performed last year, 1118 fewer than in 2011.

There were 193 abortions per 1000 known pregnancies last year, compared with 204 the previous year - the lowest abortion rate since 1995, when there were 191 abortions per 1000 known pregnancies.

Dr Morgan Healey, president of the Abortion Law Reform Association on New Zealand, (ALRANZ), says better contraception appears to be playing a role in the continued decline in abortions.

Healey said much more can be done to make the newer contraceptives more accessible and affordable.

The pro-life organisation Voice for life questions the ALRANZ assertion that better contraception is bringing about the decrease.

"Nobody really knows why the number of abortions registered every year is decreasing. We can speculate, for example, the Abortion Law Reform Association of NZ (ALRANZ) claims that the decrease may be due to more widespread use of contraceptives."

"Voice for Life could argue that it is due to a greater awareness of what babies look like in the womb. Ultrasound pictures are now very common and pregnant women show them to their friends, work colleagues and family members. Such pictures may have some influence on choosing whether to have an abortion or continue the pregnancy."

ProLife NZ spokesperson Mary-Anne Evers says that there are a number of factors behind this drop including a greater awareness of the development of the child in the womb, and the ongoing work of pro-life groups around New Zealand, such as ProLife NZ.

"While we are pleased with this significant drop in the number of abortions, the statistics still represent 14,475 abortions too many." Ms Evers says.

"There is still much work to be done."

"Our vision is for a country where no women needs to choose abortion, where every women feels supported to be able to choose life for their child."

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
  
• Voice for Life
• TVNZ
• Voxy
• Image: s3.jrnl.ie