Blue Jackie: Appointments — Abortion Supervisory Committee 
Blue Jackie: Appointments — Abortion Supervisory Committee 
[Volume:639;Page:9921] 
Dr JACKIE BLUE (National) 
: 
 I am delighted to speak to the Government motion No. 1. I will be voting against both amendments and voting for the original nominees: Professor Linda Holloway Dr Rosemary Fenwicke and Patricia Allan. All nominees including those nominated by Gordon Copeland and by New Zealand First sound as if they have excellent credentials and I am sure they would do an excellent job but I will be supporting the original three nominations. The appointees to this position should be made on ability professionalism and the ability to have impartial and objective views and I believe all three candidates have those abilities. I know Dr Rosemary Fenwicke personally and professionally. She is a fine woman and she will bring professionalism to that job. I support her nomination absolutely. 
The Abortion Supervisory Committee has a very serious role which is to license institutions and to appoint certifying consultants to consider cases. I was very concerned like my colleague Bill English to note that the appointment of the Abortion Supervisory Committee is very overdue. Indeed we had the resignation of Marlene Lamb in 2005 and more recently the remaining members Dr Papaarangi Reid and Dr Lesley Rothwell both resigned in March 2007. Dr Lesley Rothwell was reported as saying that in giving 3 months’ notice she felt there was plenty of time to find suitable candidates. I think it is a disgrace that we have had to wait so long to get these appointments in discussion today. The Government has had plenty of notice. 
This debate is about the appointment of the Abortion Supervisory Committee but obviously it has widened into other areas. The abortion rate I have heard has risen then fallen and has slightly risen in the numbers announced today. In contrast teenage pregnancy rates are increasing. The highest rates of abortion interestingly are women in their early 20s. They have higher rates of abortion than teenage women. I refer members to the  
Youth Sexual Health: “Our Health Our Issue” 
 publication produced by the New Zealand Parliamentarians’ Group on Population and Development which states that there are still obvious problems with and barriers to accessing abortions such as doctors refusing to refer women some district health boards not providing abortions and time delay between referral and termination. Medical abortion is available in only two locations and of real concern is the large number of abortions carried out past 8 weeks. 
Abortion is a reality unfortunately; it is here to stay. I was a general practitioner for some time and it is the worst decision a woman would have to face in her life. Women never enter into it lightly. We need to put much greater efforts into educating our young people so they can have the confidence to make the decisions and the right choices. It is about providing sexual education to our young people and providing access to contraception. 
I would like to see much more comprehensive reports from this committee. When I tried to find the latest reports all I found was a paragraph in the two previous annual reports. I support the right of any New Zealand woman to have an abortion in absolutely safe conditions and I support the ongoing role of this committee and the three nominees. Thank you.