18 October 2012

Threats to Southland medical professionals’ unacceptable

Threats made to Southland medical professionals and those involved in abortion law reform are unacceptable and should be treated very seriously, the Green Party said today.

The Abortion Law Reform Association has received an anonymous threat stating: “People who work at the clinic are legitimate targets and so are you” and “You’ll be hearing from me again, that is if your computer or in fact your premises are in one piece”.

“It is unacceptable and very concerning that medical professionals who are undertaking legal abortions and members of the association are being threatened in this way,” Green Party womens’ affairs spokesperson Jan Logie said.

“Resorting to these kinds of vigilante threats in the face of a disagreement is not how we should conduct ourselves. It isn’t the New Zealand way.

“Abortion is legal in New Zealand under strict circumstances. Medical professionals need to be protected in undertaking their legal functions.

“The anti-abortion group, Southlanders for Life, have legitimised unacceptable behaviour through their push to publically name the medical professionals undertaking legal abortions in Southland.

“We need a tolerant and calm approach to abortion that recognises the majority of New Zealanders are comfortable with our laws.

“Fringe and vigilante behaviour needs to be shut down. We don’t want extreme American-style abortion opposition in New Zealand.”

ends

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Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>