New Zealand has finally legalised abortion, after the Abortion Legislation Bill passed through law today, 68 votes to 51. About damn time.
This means that abortion will now be removed from the Crimes Act, which is obviously a major step forward in concurrently removing the stigma that surrounds the country’s abortion services.
“Our previous abortion law was 40 years old, and didn’t reflect current medical science or best practice,” Green MP Jan Logie stated. “Now, if they do decide to seek an abortion, it will be able to be timely and compassionate. No longer will they have to jump through unnecessary hurdles.”
“For over 40 years abortion has been the only medical procedure considered a crime in New Zealand. But from now abortions will be rightly treated as a health issue,” said Justice Minister Andrew Little, following the announcement. “The changes agreed to by parliament will better ensure women get advice and treatment in a more timely way.”
“Who am I to push my personal views and my circumstances onto a woman?” Labour’s Kieran McAnulty stated, when voting in favour of the decriminalisation, which perfectly encapsulates the stance all men need to have when discussing abortion-related matters.
What a major and important occasion in the liberalisation of abortions.
