THE ALRANZ BLOG

by Terry Bellamak The United States Supreme Court has struck down Louisiana’s law requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges at local hospitals – a requirement made both unnecessary and impossible to fulfil by the very safety of early medical and...

by Dame Margaret Sparrow I first met Rex soon after the opening of the Auckland Medical Aid Centre in May 1974. It was a great relief to those of us who were having to refer women to Australia at that time and I wanted to see for myself to where I was referring...

by Terry Bellamak Norma McCorvey was ‘Jane Roe’, the plaintiff in Roe v Wade – the landmark US Supreme Court case that recognised Americans’ constitutional right to choose to receive abortion care.  In the 1990s abortion opponents hailed McCorvey’s supposed religious...

by Terry Bellamak  Last week, supporters of reproductive rights in Aotearoa had an historic victory. Parliament voted to reform our abortion legislation to recognise a pregnant people’s right to bodily autonomy up to 20 weeks, and to streamline abortion care, bringing...

by Terry Bellamak Reproductive coercion is what happens when someone overcomes another person’s reproductive decisions through intimidation or force. It can take many forms, like forcing someone to become or remain pregnant, forcing them to seek abortion care, or...

by Terry Bellamak Informed consent is a big deal in health circles. The New Zealand Bill of Rights Act recognises the right to refuse medical care. That right cannot be fully exercised without the full information about the medical condition, and treatment options....

by Terry Bellamak ***UPDATED*** The Abortion Legislation Bill has now passed second reading. The next step in the legislative process will be the Committee of the whole House. That’s the free for all where MPs debate themselves hoarse over possible changes to the...

By Terry Bellamak The recent Abortion Legislation Select Committee heard from a lot of anti-abortion folks, repeating the same distorted lines they always use.  “Abortions will be available up until birth, for any reason!” was a favourite. Let’s deconstruct this dog...

by Terry Bellamak According to Bismarck, you should never watch sausages or laws being made, because it will gross you out. He’s got a point. The Abortion Legislation Select Committee has reported back. It has made a few changes to the bill. Not all the changes it has...

No one’s exercise of free speech should make another feel less free. --- Moana Jackson One aspect of the Abortion Legislation Bill that got a lot of airtime at the select committee, but not so much in media commentary, is safe areas. Safe areas are zones where people...