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SPUC And Right To Life - What's The Difference?

ALRANZ: What Is The Difference Between SPUC And Right To Life New Zealand?

"In December 1999, the National Office of SPUC expelled their errant Christchurch branch for urging the prohibition of abortion, arguing that the current Right to Life New Zealand's objectives were not feasible in the current context.

"Yet, new SPUC President Mrs Josephine Reeves served on the legal team that was involved in Melvyn Wall's attempted but failed interference with certifying consultant procedures. What is going on here? Has National SPUC now adopted the extremist position that abortion should be prohibited?" asked Craig Young, Research Officer for the Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand.

"Again, we have the spectacle of SPUC, Right to Life and their satellites resorting to junk science to prove their point. I refer to Mrs.Reeves' comments about the travesty of informed consent that she proposes. I would remind her that under the current Code of Health and Disability Consumers Rights, women would be entitled to know about the risks of pregnancy and the psychological effects of adoption, but their movement routinely ignores that element of legislation.

"New Zealand anti-abortion groups appear to be encouraging forced caesarians, yet they never discuss issues of informed consent about possible postoperative complications and risk within that context. Also,recent Colorado voters saw through one such informed consent travesty when one anti-abortion group put a referendum question on this issue, yet another anti-abortion group argued that "informed consent" still meant the woman would be able to consent to her abortion.

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"Of course, the anti-abortion movement has never been particularly good at consent issues. One remembers that it was anti-abortion activist doctor Herbert Green who was responsible for the development of our Code of Health and Disability Consumers Rights, due to his unethical treatment of cervical cancer patients at National Women's Hospital."

Contact: Craig Young National Research Officer ALRANZ 06 3569099 ext 7750/ unheimlichmann@yahoo.com.au


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