Media Release: ProLife Auckland
12 May 2010

Pro-Life Club Affiliates at University of Auckland

University of Auckland pro-life group, Prolife Auckland, is today delighted to announce their successful affiliation at the University of Auckland this afternoon.

"We've been working to affiliate for over six months," says Prolife Auckland President Simeon Brown. "It's been a hard struggle, but we've finally succeeded."

The group affiliated this afternoon at the student association's (AUSA) forum. Debate occurred over whether the pro-life group should affiliate, with those in favour arguing that all students should have the right to choose what they believe and to express their views on campus.

A vote was taken with 89 votes in favour, 33 opposed and 8 abstentions. With a majority, the pro-life club was affiliated.

This comes on the heels of the group's recent overturning of a ban against pro-life groups. Since 2002, anyone wanting to start a pro-life club on campus has had only one opportunity every 365 days to try and gain official club status, but any other club simply had to wait seven days to try their hand and chance the odds.

"The ruling had clearly been discriminatory and designed to shut down debate on abortion," he says. "It was amazing to have overturned it."

The club now has the status of every other AUSA club, being able to use club space, apply for grants and operate on campus.

“This is a victory for common-sense and freedom of expression more than anything, as well as an acknowledgment that pro-life is a valid perspective”, concludes Mr Brown.

ENDS

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