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

For the last five years, Voice for Life (VFL) has been meeting for an hour on Friday morning outside the Thames Hospital when abortions are being performed.

They pray, and give witness to the right to life of unborn children.

They also want to express concern about the consequence of abortion for the mothers whom they see as second victims.

VFL has a permit for this activity from the Thames Coromandel District Council.

In August a group of Green Party/Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand (ALRANZ) members were issued with a permit to demonstrate at the same time and in the same location.

The permits allow holders to "peacefully demonstrate" at the specified time and place, provided the demonstration is at all times "non-violent and non-intrusive".

On 6 October ALRANZ posted on it's Facebook page that it has written to TCDC, "asking them to do their duty and enforce the conditions of VFL's demonstration permit by withdrawing VFL's permit."

ALRANZ claims it has has honoured the conditions of its permit and accused the voice for Life of breaching them.

The pro abortion group say they will continue meeting until the pro-life group is closed down.

They are yet to receive a reply from the TCDC

Pro life groups believes the Green Party is using this situation as a test case with the intention of seeking to having the law changed.

They say there is a plan to pass a law imposing a no protest zone around every hospital and clinic in New Zealand where abortions are taking place.

Source

• Supplied
• Facebook.com
• Image: Supplied

Co-ordinator Frank Fischer (42), of Dunedin, said the centre, run by the Family Life International John Paul II Centre for Life, was training staff to be ready for its first clients - troubled pregnant women seeking assistance. Continue reading