Can't We Have Some Consistency?

Media Release - Voice for Life
10 October 2007

Prime Minister Helen Clark today announced that New Zealand is working with other countries to put a resolution to the United Nations, seeking the abolition of the death penalty world wide.

Helen Clark made the announcement at an event in Parliament attended by Amnesty International representatives to highlight World Day Against the Death Penalty.

The Prime Minister said:

"The death penalty violates the right to life and is by definition and in practice, a cruel and degrading treatment. It is known to have been inflicted on the innocent. It's very nature means it cannot be reversed."

Voice for Life says:

"Can't we have some consistency? We know that the Prime Minister is talking about adults, but there were 72,180 abortions recorded from the beginning of 2003 to December 2006.

"Each one of those 72,180 unborn babies was killed by cruel and degrading treatment. Their right to life was violated and they were innocent."

30 years ago on 16th December, 1977, Parliament passed the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act, to provide for the circumstances and procedures under which abortions may be authorized, "after having full regards for the rights of the unborn child.

That "having full regards for the rights of the unborn child", spelt out the spirit and intent of the Act.

In 1977, Parliamentarians anticipated that the medical authorities could be trusted to keep abortions relatively rare and consider the rights of the second innocent patient.

Voice for Life says the abortion figures reveal that trust was misplaced.

Considering the numbers of innocent babies killed in hospitals and clinics around New Zealand, the Prime Minister might approach the NZ Medical Council to reign in the death penalties being dealt out each day in our own backyard.

Amnesty International now support the death penalty for innocent unborn children, but protest against when adults are involved.

ENDS

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