WELLINGTON It wasnt unexpected, but Independent MP Gordon Copeland was disappointed several Labour MPs objected to his efforts to introduce a bill that would have required women to give informed consent before having an abortion. During general debate in the House on April 9, Mr Copeland sought leave to introduce his bill. Objection from one MP is enough to stop the bill from being introduced.

In his speech, the Catholic MP said his bill does not attempt to ban abortion but rather to update and modernise the existing law in two ways. It would require informed consent, as is standard medical practice in New Zealand for treatment, and acknowledgement from the woman that the decision to have an abortion was made freely.

Mr Copeland said New Zealands abortion-to-births ratio, averaging 312 abortions to every 1000 live births over the past four years, is believed to be the highest in the Western world. He suggested there is general agreement that the number is too high, and he saw his bill as a way to combat that.

The trend, internationally, is to place the woman with child at the very centre of the abortion decision process, Mr Copeland said in Parliament.

In other words, to treat these women as human beings with the ability to consider carefully all of their options, including adoption, before making perhaps the most important decision any human being could ever make; namely whether or not to abort their child.

Mr Copeland pointed to findings from the Christchurch Health and Development Study, that found a link between abortion and subsequent mental health problems, and a change in policy from the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Britain, that called for pre-abortion counselling, as further support for his measure to allow women to be fully informed before making a decision.