Collins Judith: Appointments — Abortion Supervisory Committee 
Collins Judith: Appointments — Abortion Supervisory Committee 
[Volume:639;Page:9915] 
JUDITH COLLINS (National—Clevedon) 
: 
 I do not intend to take a very long call on this matter as I understand my colleague Dr Paul Hutchison would also like to take a call and I want to make sure we have enough time for everybody. 
To be absolutely frank we have abortion on demand in New Zealand in everything except name. When we look at the fact that there are 18000 abortions a year—and have been for the last few years give or take some increases and some slight drops in that time—and that 98 to 99 percent of all abortions are performed supposedly because of serious danger to the mental health of women I think we do need to accept that we have abortion on demand. 
I am very grateful that I was not a 14-year-old girl who was faced with an unwanted pregnancy. I am very very grateful that I have never had an unwanted pregnancy. I am however deeply moved by the plight of women in that situation. However I think we do need to understand and accept that abortion is not just a process. It is not just a medical procedure. For many women in particular an abortion is something they will live with all their lives. I believe absolutely that many of those women—particularly those supposedly facing serious danger to their mental health at the time of an unwanted pregnancy—will in fact face even more serious danger to their mental health at a later stage unless they get every bit of help that we can give them. 
The House will remember that during the passage of the Care of Children Bill I proposed an amendment to allow either a parent or a parental figure or a Family Court judge to be advised if a child under 16 was seeking an abortion. The House at the time did not support that. Only one member of the then Labour Party supported my amendment. I can say to this House with a very sorry heart that in 1999 56 children aged between 11 and 14 had abortions. In this last year we find that that number has almost doubled to 105. I do not want to see a return to backstreet abortions. I do not want to see women dying because of abortions performed in unsanitary situations. I do not want to see that happen. However I do not want to see us turn ourselves into a culture where human life is not valued. 
I note that the Minister when he was looking at the people who should be on this committee said that one of the attributes committee members should have was to be impartial. Frankly I do not believe that some of the members he has put forward are impartial. He also said that they should be open-minded. Well I do not think some of them are. He said further that they should be sensitive to cultural groups and understandings. I hope I have quoted the Minister correctly. I believe we do need to take that into account. The number of Pacific women who have abortions is an utter disgrace. When I hear my colleague the Hon Bill English speak about his attempts as Minister of Health to get some basic information to women through their doctors’ surgeries about abortion about their alternatives and about the health ramifications and see the way he was thwarted by his own politically correct ministry I think that is a disgrace. That these people have chosen to stop women—women who are in need women who are desperate women who want help—from getting correct information is an utter disgrace. 
When I look at the numbers of abortions performed I wonder when the increase will stop. Are we going to be like some countries such as China where in some families children are aborted because of their gender because they are women? Are we going to have children with disabilities aborted because they are different? Are we ever going to value human life? 
I do not support the retention of Dr Fenwicke to this committee. I believe that we should have Dr Ate Moala on the committee and I will also support the other amendment by New Zealand First to include Dr Hall. I believe it is absolutely important that we get some balance on this committee and that this committee finally does its job.