Updates on the road to the 3rd reading of the proposed Abortion Legislation Bill
The next week or so is a very critical time for our nation, with major life and death implications for generations to come. The New Zealand Parliament is in the final stages of voting on the Abortion Law Reform Bill, a bill which further liberalises New Zealand’s laws on abortion. The aim of the Bill is to make abortion simply a medical procedure for the mother.
The Bill gives no consideration at all to valuing the life of unborn babies, or to protecting them. The protections in the current legislation (which have proved weak) are swept away. The Bill assumes that unborn babies have no inherent human worth, and no human rights. The Bill would establish abortion on demand up to 20 weeks gestation. From 21 weeks through to birth, all that is required is the agreement of the medical practitioner (the one about to conduct an abortion) that an abortion is “reasonable” with regards to the health of the mother – but with no regard to the life of the baby. Presumably “health” will include her emotional wellbeing. Will this apply to cases of Downs Syndrome, or the wrong sex? Even a baby born alive after a failed abortion will not be safe: MPs have voted down an amendment that would have required the baby to be given medical care, rather than left to die.
Most Christian people do not oppose abortion under all circumstances, and feel compassion towards those women who have been in a very difficult situation and have agonisingly decided to have their baby aborted.
The New Zealand public needs to understand, however, that this Bill is very unbalanced: it entirely takes the side of the pro-abortion lobby, and completely disregards the intrinsic value of unborn human life. Regardless of whether or not unborn human babies are currently recognised in our society’s laws as fully-fledged “human beings”, they are still unquestionably human babies. Respect for the value of all human life is a basic building block of a safe society. Justice and compassion call out for the protection of the powerless and the voiceless. Christians – and many others – see every human life as a sacred gift of God, and the destruction of innocent lives as a terrible stain upon our nation.
We strongly encourage all Christian people to shake off apathy, to be constant in prayer, and to urgently contact members of Parliament and make known their deep concerns (be courteous, clear, well-informed, and brief). MPs names and contact details are linked below. Church leaders also need to speak out (see here a plea for that), and here is a good sermon on abortion from last Sunday.
Mark Maney speaking at Massey Presbyterian Church, Auckland – 8 March 2020
Dr Stuart Lange, National Director
New Zealand Christian Network
Abortion Legislation Bill — Second Reading
3 March 2020
How MPs voted
81 AYES
Amy Adams – National, Selwyn
Kiritapu Allan – Labour, List *
Ginny Andersen – Labour, List
Jacinda Ardern – Labour, Mt Albert
Darroch Ball – NZ First, List +
Andrew Bayly – National, Hunua *
David Bennett – National, Hamilton East *
Paula Bennett – National Upper Harbour *
Dan Bidois – National, Northcote *
Chris Bishop – National, Hutt South
David Carter – National, List *
David Clark – Labour, Dunedin North *
Tamati Coffey – Labour, Waiariki
Judith Collins – National, Papakura *
Liz Craig – Labour, List
Clare Curran – Labour, Dunedin South
Marama Davidson – Green, List
Kelvin Davis – Labour, Te Tai Tokerau *
Matt Doocey – National, Waimakariri *
Ruth Dyson – Labour, Port Hills
Paul Eagle – Labour, Rongotai *
Kris Faafoi – Labour, Mana *
Andrew Falloon – National, Rangitata *
Julie Anne Genter – Green, List
Golriz Ghahraman – Green, List
Peeni Henare – Labour, Tāmaki Makaurau *
Chris Hipkins – Labour, Rimutaka
Brett Hudson – National, List *
Gareth Hughes – Green, List
Raymond Huo – Labour, List
Willie Jackson – Labour, List *
Shane Jones – NZ First, List +
Nikki Kaye – National, Auckland Central
Matt King – National, Northland *
Barbara Kuriger – National, Taranaki-King Country
Iain Lees-Galloway – Labour, Palmerston North
Andrew Little – Labour, List
Jan Logie – Green, List
Marja Lubeck – Labour, List
Jo Luxton – Labour, List *
Trevor Mallard – Labour, List
Jenny Marcroft – NZ First, List +
Ron Mark – NZ First, List +
Tracey Martin – NZ First, List +
Kieran McAnulty – Labour, List
Ian McKelvie – National, Rangitīkei *
Clayton Mitchell – NZ First, List +
Mark Mitchell – National, Rodney *
Stuart Nash – Labour, Napier *
David Parker – Labour, List
Mark Patterson – NZ First, List +
Winston Peters – NZ First, List +
Willow-Jean Prime – Labour, List *
Priyanca Radhakrishnan – Labour, List *
Grant Robertson – Labour, Wellington Central
Jami-Lee Ross – Independent, Botany
Deborah Russell – Labour, New Lynn
Eugenie Sage – Green, List
Carmel Sepuloni – Labour, Kelston *
David Seymour – ACT, Epsom
James Shaw – Green, List
Scott Simpson – National, Coromandel
Aupito William Sio – Labour, Māngere *
Stuart Smith – National, Kaikōura *
Erica Stanford – National, East Coast Bays
Chlöe Swarbrick – Green, List
Fletcher Tabuteau – NZ First, List +
Jan Tinetti – Labour, List
Anne Tolley – National, East Coast
Phil Twyford – Labour, Te Atatū *
Tim van de Molen – National, Waikato *
Nicky Wagner – National, List *
Hamish Walker – National, Clutha-Southland
Louisa Wall – Labour, Manurewa
Angie Warren-Clark – Labour, List
Duncan Webb – Labour, Christchurch Central
Poto Williams – Labour, Christchurch East *
Nicola Willis – National, List
Michael Wood – Labour, Mt Roskill *
Megan Woods – Labour, Wigram
Jian Yang – National, List
39 NOES
Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi – National, List
Maggie Barry – National North Shore
Simon Bridges – National, Tauranga
Simeon Brown – National, Pakuranga
Gerry Brownlee – National, Ilam
Jacqui Dean – National, Waitaki
Sarah Dowie – National, Invercargille
Paulo Garcia – National, List
Paul Goldsmith – National, List
Nathan Guy – National, Ōtaki
Joanne Hayes – National, List
Harete Hipango – National, Whanganui
Anahila Kanongata’a-Suisuiki – Labour, List
Denise Lee – National, Maungakiekie
Melissa Lee – National, List
Agnes Loheni – National, List
Tim Macindoe – National, Hamilton West
Nanaia Mahuta – Laboaur, Hauraki-Waikato
Todd McClay – National, Rotorua
Todd Muller – National, Bay of Plenty
Alfred Ngaro – National, List
Damien O’Connor – Labour, West Coast-Tasman
Greg O’Connor – Labour, Ōhāriu
Simon O’Connor – National, Tāmaki
Parmjeet Parmar – National, List
Chris Penk – National, Hellensville
Mauareen Pugh – National, List
Shane Reti – National, Whangarei
Adrian Rurawhe – Labour, Te Tai Hauāuru
Jenny Salesa – Labour, Manukau East
Alastair Scott – National, Wairarapa
Nick Smith – National, Nelson
Jamie Strange – Labour, List
Rino Tirikatene – Labour, Te Tai Tonga
Louise Upston – National, Taupō
Meka Whaitiri – Labour, Ikaroa-Rāwhiti
Michael Woodhouse – National, List
Jonathan Young – National, New Plymouth
Lawrence Yule – National Tukituki
One organisation has observed that it is still possible to swing the decision in the final reading. How?
- 21 MPs need to be change their vote at the final reading. This would produce a tie.
- Of those, if the amendment for a referendum on the issue is not passed, all 9 NZ First MPs will apparantly vote against the bill. +
- Therefore, only 12 MPs from National / Labour would need to change their votes to ‘No’.
The MPs listed above with an asterisk * are ones they particularly recommend be challenged on their position.
3 Things
YOU can do
to change the tide
- Pray for our MPs… Thank the lord for their service and ask that He give them wisdom making decisions that affect the inhabitants of Aotearoa New Zealand. And pray for yourself. Pray for wisdom and courage to contact your local sitting and list MPs and seek guidance as to other MPs you should approach.
- Explain your connection: do you live in their electorate, go to the same church, are part of the same denomination, are members of the same club or ethnic group? RESPECTFULLY challenge their position – they also have a right to their opinion.
- SPREAD THE WORD. Talk with your peers and encourage them to make a stand. Abortion isn’t a silent issue.
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