Seymour challenges Parliament on abortion law reform

“Our abortion laws are archaic, and should be modernized,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“I have always believed in personal choice, and that extends to the issue of abortion,” says Seymour. “Morally, abortion is about a woman’s body and her choice. Practically, prohibitions on this choice have had horrible consequences such as child neglect and unsafe abortions.

“Sadly, our current laws are a charade. Nobody believes that 97 per cent of women who have abortions are mentally ill, but that is what we are expected to believe according to official statistics.

“The right thing to do is reform abortion law to reflect what actually happens: women exercise choice for their own reasons.

“If I did not already have a bill on an important moral issue in the Members’ ballot I would seriously consider a bill on this issue.

“Ninety-three of my colleagues are eligible to produce a bill that would modernize our abortion laws, but none have. Instead the ballot is filled with bills on everything from the wearing of military decorations to the length of Auckland’s wharves.

“It’s disappointing to see grandstanding on this issue from Labour and Green MPs who fail to follow through with a sensible bill on abortion reform,” says Mr Seymour.

ENDS

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