The select committee recommended — by majority — that the bill be passed, with some minor amendments.

Select committee member Agnes Loheni (National) opposed the passage of the bill.

She wrote in a minority view that the Government’s desire to progress their bill at speed has led to a lack of due process, “which is most concerning when dealing with an issue of death and life”. It has resulted in “a bill with significant flaws”.

Very important stories were not heard in person by the select committee, she said, including “voices of abortion survivors, those conceived in rape, and other important stories directly relevant to the matter”.

The select committee received 25,776 written submissions, of which 91.4 per cent opposed the bill. Some 2800 submitters requested to make an oral submission, of which the committee chose to hear from about 160.

The select committee report stated that “inviting specific submitters allowed us to sit as a full committee and ensured that submitters had a longer than average hearing time”.

Voice for Life believed that the committee lacked ideological balance.

Five of the seven members were strident advocates of the bill, and only two were not, Voice for Life stated.

“This lack of balance and the agenda-driven nature of the select committee process was clearly evident when oral submissions were being heard.

“We personally witnessed and experienced first-hand the lack of basic respect that was shown by the committee members who are staunch advocates of this bill”, said Kate Cormack, Voice for Life media spokesperson.

“It was not uncommon to see pro-bill committee members on their phones instead of actually listening to those who were making oral submissions. Then, when it came to question time, irrelevant or even prejudicial questions were [used] against oral submitters who made challenges to the validity of the bill.”

The report stated that the select committee was “grateful to those submitters who shared their views and stories, including their deeply personal, and at times difficult, experiences of abortion”.

“Our report also reflects that our views are based on our consciences,” the report added.

Family First described the bill as “radical and extreme” and stated that it was not surprising the majority of the select committee backed it.

Right to Life expressed its concern about the select committee majority endorsement, describing the bill as draconian, anti-life and anti-feminist.

It called on MPs to vote against the bill at its second reading, reportedly happening next month. Although it is a Government bill, it is subject to a conscience vote in Parliament.

The bill removes existing criminal offences relating to abortion but, upon recommendation of the select committee, would create a new one related to the performing of an abortion by a person who is not a qualified health practitioner.

The woman undergoing the process would not be charged.

Under the bill, abortion before 20 weeks gestation would be treated as a matter between a woman and her health practitioner. Above 20 weeks gestation, the few criteria proposed have been criticised as vague and ill-defined.

The bill also proposes controversial measures concerning safe areas near abortion facilities and about conscientious objection.

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Mrs Bennett was one of the first policewomen in New Zealand and was a former president of the Auckland branch of Voice for Life.

A requiem Mass was celebrated at Orewa by St Patrick’s Cathedral dean Pa Peter Tipene, parish priest Fr Emile Frische and former parish priest Fr Peter Gray on January 30.

“She was quite a special lady, a remarkable woman. In so many ways, she was able to connect with people. She inspired people to a deeper faith. She was always here for adoration and for Mass. Nothing was a problem for Val, particularly when it came to faith. She was always available to do anything and everything,” said Pa Tipene, who used to be parish priest at Orewa.

Her son, Jonathan, spoke of her love for Christ and Mary.

“She was a woman of deep faith. Her love of the Catholic Church and its teachings had been an unwavering constant in our lives. Her life was governed by love of Christ,” he said.

Mrs Bennett’s love for the unborn was also noted at the Mass. She was not only formerly Auckland VFL president, she was also a member of the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child.

Mrs Bennett was also featured in NZ Catholic a few years ago in a story that recalled how Fr Gray, as well as Mrs Bennett and her late husband Michael
“Mick” Bennett, helped Cambodian refugees fleeing from Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge regime find a new life in Orewa.

Mrs Bennett left the police force to support her husband, who was then establishing his business. At one point, she ran the Christian bookshop in
Orewa.

“She was the love of our lives back then. And I’m not ashamed to say, she is
very much still the love of our lives today,” Jonathan said.

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Voice for Life and Right to Life has formally asked the Ombudsman to investigate and seek evidence that people going to abortions clinics are being verbally abused and harassed.
In its 2014 annual report, the Abortion Supervisory Committee again complained of “harassment”, such as verbal abuse and offensive material given to people entering clinics and hospitals.
At four places, vigils are held outside hospitals on the day abortions are performed — Thames, Hastings, Dunedin and Invercargill.the committee for evidence but were declined on privacy grounds.
The organisations asked the committee for evidence but were declined on privacy grounds. The organisations said they then asked the Ombudsman to investigate and seek evidence.
“It turned out that the ‘harassment’ was verbally reported by clinic staff, sothere was no documented evidence. The presence of a peaceful prayer group was deemed to be harassment,”
they stated.
All prayer groups denied engaging in verbal abuse, saying it was often the other way, from pro-abortion activists.
In Hastings, the vigil consists of three people.
That group said 29 women on their way to have abortions had stopped to talk and, as a result, kept their babies.

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