Following a highly successful march to Parliament to oppose the Family Planning Association’s application for an abortion licence, Simeon Brown, spokesperson of Stop Family Planning, and Lydia Moore, spokesperson of Prolife NZ wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister of New Zealand John Key, and the Minister of Health, Tony Ryall, asking them to take a serious look at NZ’s outrageously high abortion rate, and the FPA’s application. The letter is reproduced below.

12 February 2010

Open letter to Prime Minister John Key
CC’d Tony Ryall Minister of Health

Dear John,

As you will be aware, Stop Family Planning held a march today to protest the granting of an abortion license to the Family Planning Association (FPA). Hundreds of people marched from Civic Square to Parliament steps, where they were addressed by speakers from Voice for Life, Stop Family Planning and the youth-based group, Prolife NZ.

There is now a groundswell of public opinion that the New Zealand abortion rate must be reduced: currently there are over 18,000 abortions being committed each year, a rate that is one of the highest in the world. Today’s march only confirmed this general feeling.

Our country’s youth are passionate in their belief that women need to be well informed of the dangers of the chemical abortifacient, Mifepristone, a drug that causes terrible side effects and has killed many women internationally. Our countries youth are also concerned that our already high abortion rate will rise if the FPA are granted a license.

The FPA is New Zealand’s primary sexual health educator, which means there is a conflict of interest: they may be biased in their educating as performing abortions will beart of their service.

We ask you to do whatever you can in your power to disallow a license to the FPA to commit abortions in their clinics.

We would like to ask to meet with you to discuss this matter further as we believe it is an issue which needs careful consideration of the differing view points.

Yours Faithfully,

Lydia Moore (18yrs)
ProLife New Zealand

Simeon Brown (18yrs)
Stop Family Planning