First they came for the voiceless unborn children, then they came for those who speak on their behalf

The passing of the anti-democratic ‘Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion (Safe Areas) Amendment Act’ is a tragic and concerning milestone in the history of our little country.

This Act represents an obscene waste of precious Parliamentary time and resources at the very moment when our healthcare system is in disarray and decline, Omicron is running rampant, and most Kiwis are struggling under the burden of a cost-of-living crisis.

It is neither irrational nor unreasonable to call this a pointless anti-peaceful-protest Act, intended to silence the charitable voices of pro-life dissent at the sites where abortion takes place in Aotearoa New Zealand.

This Act is as ugly as it was unnecessary.

Don’t take our word for it, listen to what the NZ Law Commission told the Government on page 178 of their 2018, Government-commissioned, Alternative approaches to abortion law Ministerial briefing paper (emphasis added):

12.12  The Commission sought input from health professional bodies, abortion service providers and health practitioners about safe access zones. The majority felt that safe access zones were not needed. The Abortion Providers Group Aotearoa New Zealand (APGANZ) explained that only a minority of clinics had been targeted by distressing behaviour around their premises. Some abortion service providers reported that where women had been harassed or distressed by demonstrators in the past, Police responded effectively by moving the protestors on. Family Planning New Zealand noted that in its experience Police only intervened if demonstrators attempted to verbally engage with patients or staff at the clinic.

12.13  Some health professional bodies and practitioners thought that, if more abortions were performed through a greater range of community health care providers, it would become more difficult for demonstrators to target premises where abortions are performed. Some were concerned that safe access zones could serve to emphasise demarcation around abortion clinics and encourage demonstrations at the zone boundaries.

12.14  The Commission has not seen any clear evidence that the existing laws around intimidating and anti-social behaviour are inadequate, as would be required to justify the introduction of safe access zones. The Commission is also mindful that safe access zones would have to be considered for consistency with rights under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, such as the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association. Any limits on those rights through the imposition of safe access zones would need to be carefully considered to ensure they are reasonable and justified.

12.15  For these reasons, the Commission does not suggest the introduction of safe access zones. However, if demonstration activity were to intensify in the future, the Government could consider such a reform.

There was no underlying need here. No justification. No legitimacy. Just a spiteful exercise in pro-abortion bullying against peaceful pro-lifers who challenge the hegemonic control of the public discourse about abortion.

This is an Act which is totally without legitimacy.

Friday (18th March) will mark two years since the passing of Labour’s extreme Abortion Legislation Act.

That Act stripped away the small number of legal protections that unborn New Zealanders were formerly afforded under the previous abortion law. Their state of defenceless vulnerability is such that it is now legal to end the life of an unborn child right up to, and even during, birth if you can find an abortionist willing to do so.

It doesn’t get much more extreme than this outside of a regime, like the one in China, where forced abortions have been practiced.

But that wasn’t enough for the committed pro-abortion ideologues who haunt our corridors of power. They weren’t simply content with denying rights to vulnerable unborn children, they also wanted to silence the voices of those who dare to speak publicly in their defence.

Today was the day they returned to the scene of the crime for another kick to the ribs of their already bloodied and beaten victims.

Can you imagine Parliament ever enacting legislation like this to make criminals of climate activists for gathering for peaceful vigils and public protests near big oil companies or other sites they deem morally objectionable?

Sadly, it seems that it is only people who speak for the unborn who can expect to have their democratic freedoms eroded by those who now wield power in our country.

But, as the old warning goes, supporters of this Act shouldn’t be surprised if at some future time, another Parliament decides to follow their lead and make it a criminal offence to speak in public places about causes they care about.

The right to hold and publicly express political views that are contrary to those held by the governing class is a mainstay of authentically free and open democracy - even when the expression of such views might make those in power, or others who disagree, uncomfortable.

If dissidents and protestors are not engaging in violence or obscenity, then no Government has any legitimate moral right to suppress and criminalise people for peaceful religious activity, peaceful assembly, or peacefully expressing their views on serious moral issues like abortion. 

Last night was about state overreach and might-makes-right ideological domination of New Zealanders based solely on the views they hold and express publicly about abortion.

It also speaks to a growing twilight of authoritarianism which has begun to cast its long shadow over the people of Aotearoa New Zealand.

As per usual, it was cloaked in dishonest euphemism (‘safe areas’) to mislead the general public about the real intent behind this legislation.

So where does all of this leave the pro-life moment?

For us, the mission and work has not changed, even with the passing of this Act. Regardless of the unjust legislation targeted at us (which pales in comparison to the grave injustice of abortion targeted against unborn Kiwis), we will continue to speak for those cannot speak for themselves.

Utterances and decrees that issue forth from Parliamentary echo-chambers will not deter us in our mission to kia mau ki te tūmanako, te whakapono me te aroha (‘hold fast to hope, faith and love’) for the unborn children of this nation and their mothers.

Their protection and wellbeing, not popularity or the approval of our political fat-cats, are the taonga tapu that we prize above all else in our work of building the culture of life and being a voice for the voiceless in this nation.

Here’s the thing; New Zealand’s ageing pro-abortion ideologues have now had their day in the sun. Unless they plan to imprison us for merely thinking pro-life thoughts, as of last night, they have now played pretty much every card they had in their hand. 

This might seem like a victory for them, but, in reality, it represents the final act in their campaign of legislative warfare against unborn New Zealanders.

Now that their canons have fallen silent, and all of their ammunition is spent, it is our time to take the field and ignite the fires in a revolution of love. To courageously speak truth to the power of the pro-abortion establishment. To build a more humane future where the violence of abortion is as unthinkable as it is unnecessary.

To be the loving voice for the voiceless, regardless of the cost.

Kia Kaha!