Parliament votes to reject changes to abortion laws

Parliament last night voted against a law change that would have required doctors to tell parents or a judge when a girl aged under 16 sought an abortion.

National MP Judith Collins put up the amendment to the Care of Children Bill, and it was defeated 75-45 on a free vote.

United Future MP Murray Smith proposed a stronger amendment that would have prevented certifying consultants from authorising an abortion without written confirmation that parents had been advised. It was defeated 94-25.

The Medical Association and the Royal College of General Practitioners strongly opposed changing the law, and wrote to all MPs outlining their reasons.

They said that making doctors tell parents would lead to back-street abortions, and that some young girls had good reasons for not wanting their parents to know they were pregnant.

Ms Collins initially drafted an amendment that would have made it mandatory for doctors to tell parents.

She did not put that to Parliament, and subsequently changed it so that girls could tell a doctor they did not want their parents to be informed. In that case, the doctor would have to inform a Family Court judge of the reasons why the girl did not want her parents told, and the judge would decide whether the girl needed care or consultation.

But Parliament was in no mood to change a law that has existed since 1977 and does not require doctors to inform parents.

Labour and the Greens opposed the amendments, while most National MPs supported Ms Collins. United Future supported Ms Collins and Mr Smith.

Not all MPs voted. New Zealand First and Act appeared to be divided.

Supporters of the amendments argued that sexual predators were escaping conviction because some young girls did not want anyone to know they had been raped.

Opponents of changing the law said the existing situation had worked well.

They said that in the vast majority of cases, girls did tell their parents, and doctors always urged girls seeking abortions to seek family support.

It was argued that there were a small minority of cases where girls had valid reasons for not wanting anyone to know, such as incest or fear that they would be abused by violent parents.

- NZPA