Ken Orr: PM sets a bad example for children

Role model: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with partner Clarke Gayford. Photo/file

Right to Life, in response to Jay Kuten's opinion article in the Chronicle on November 8, makes no apology for speaking up in defence of the natural marriage exclusively between one woman and one man. It is not harassment to speak the truth.

Civilisation has always known that marriage is for the protection of women and children and is the foundation of a healthy and vibrant society.

As Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern has the responsibility to lead our nation, and has the privilege and duty to be a role model for our children and grandchildren.

Those who govern do so with the permission of the governed. We, the governed, have a right to expect a very high standard from our prime minister.

Right to Life is disappointed that Ms Ardern has chosen to live with a man who is not her husband and has chosen to make her relationship a very public affair. Sadly, this is not giving a good example to our children.

She is now called to meet with world leaders and to walk on the world stage, and we are entitled to expect that her life and actions are going to reflect well on our nation's reputation.

Right to Life makes no apology for speaking up on behalf of women and the unborn. The authentic feminist position is to oppose abortion, which is violence inflicted on women and their precious unborn.

The killing of the unborn has been outlawed under the Crimes Act since 1856. The state has a duty to legislate to protect the lives of unborn children, the weakest and most defenceless members of the human family.

The Prime Minister, who supports the decriminalisation of abortion, claims that the inclusion of abortion in the Crimes Act makes women criminals. This is false. Section 183, which prohibits the killing of the unborn child, states that a woman or girl may not be charged as a party to this section.

Should abortion be decriminalised, as it is in Victoria, Australia, a woman would have the right to abort her child up to 24 weeks gestation without being required to give a reason. After 24 weeks, two doctors would be required to agree that the abortion was appropriate.

The current abortion laws are those recommended by the Royal Commission on Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion, which was appointed in 1975 by a Labour government.

The commission said, upholding the status of the unborn child: "From a biological point of view, there is no argument as to when life begins. Evidence was given to us by eminent scientists from all over the world. None of them suggested that human life begins at any other time than at conception."

They went on to say: "From implantation to birth, changes which take place in the unborn child are of a developmental nature only. There are no changes of a qualitative nature.

"If some stage of physical or mental development has to be accepted as indicating whether or not human life is in being, so a stage may be reached at the other end of life where a person who has become senile or has lost consciousness may be disposed of."

If we, as a society deny the humanity of the unborn, then logically we may one day deny the humanity of those who are suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's. The denial of the humanity and right to life of the unborn is a threat to the right to life of every citizen.
The ultimate child poverty is to be deprived of life before birth. Our women deserve better than abortion.

■Ken Orr is a spokesman for Right to Life