Pro-Life Hawke's Bay says a new bill which could create 150-metre safe zones around clinics which provide abortion services, won't stop them "speaking for the voiceless". Photo / Paul Taylor
Pro-Life Hawke's Bay says a new bill which could create 150-metre safe zones around clinics which provide abortion services, won't stop them "speaking for the voiceless". Photo / Paul Taylor
Hawke's Bay politicians say they want to protect the mental as well as physical wellbeing of women accessing abortion services, with all four of the region's MPs voting in favour of a new bill to establish "safe zones" around clinics which provide them.
However, the founder of Pro-Life Hawke's Bay,which has a regular presence outside Hawke's Bay Hospital, says the bill won't stop her "speaking for the voiceless", even if it passes.
The Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion (Safe Areas) Amendment Bill put forward by Labour list MP Louisa Wall aims to set up safe areas around specific abortion facilities on a case-by-case basis.
It passed its first reading with 100 MPs making conscious votes in favour of the bill, including Labour's Tukituki MP Anna Lorck, Napier MP Stuart Nash and Ikaroa-Rawhiti Meka Whaitiri as well as Green list MP Dr Elizabeth Kerekere.
Lorck said she fully supported providing access to health services without harassment and intimidation.
"In Hawke's Bay it would provide a safe zone area, 150 metres around the hospital site."
While not directly related to her previous role as a Hawke's Bay District Health Board member, she had heard from many people who found the protesting directly at the entry to the public hospital "distressing".
Tukituki MP Anna Lorck said some people she had spoken to found the presence of anti-abortion protesters outside the Hawke's Bay Hospital distressing. Photo / Paul Taylor
Whaitiri said she supported the bill to ensure that they hear from women themselves and other experts.
"The safe zones will allow for safe unimpeded access that will protect all of those that are involved in the support of this service."
Nash said he "didn't want to mansplain" the issue but supported the bill because he felt it was important to protect women's mental as well as physical health.
He said the risk of women being hassled was "too high".
"I've seen the people outside Hawke's Bay Hospital and they have a right to their views [...] but every woman has the right to be safe."
Kerekere said getting an abortion was a tough decision and often comes with sadness and grief.
The safe zone would make it more accessible for people who need these services, as well as lessen the impact of "misguided protesters who think they should have a say over the bodily autonomy of women and pregnant people", she said.
"I imagine anyone trying to access these services will be relieved not to be shouted at, preyed on, photographed and vilified."
Green MP Dr Elizabeth Kerekere said getting an abortion was a tough decision which often came with sadness and grief, and people did not need protesters to add to this . Photo / Doug Sherring
However, Pro-Life Hawke's Bay co-ordinator Dawn Bedingfield refuted any suggestion that her group engaged in "harassment or intimidation".
She was horrified to learn of the MPs' votes, especially as none had ever met with the group.
"The safeguards have been taken away. It's like saying we don't want anything to distract them from the choice they are making."
She started the group with her son to represent the "voiceless" and women she felt were pressured into abortions by their partners, family and even friends.
"We are not passing judgement on anyone. We've seen the damage [after young women have abortions]."
As the clinic services are provided within the Hawke's Bay Hospital building, she said they had no way of knowing who is there for what.
"We would never be able to stop anyone who wants to go ahead with it."
She believed the group had "saved" at least 37 babies through their work.
The group doesn't just stand outside the hospital providing education materials, she said they also met with woman thinking about terminating a pregnancy and helped others adopt their babies out.
"We meet with people and find out why they are going for an abortion.
"We find a lot of times it's not the child they don't want, it's the circumstances.
"If you can take those circumstances away they might change their mind."
She accepted there were life-threatening reasons a woman might terminate her pregnancy.
It was not about "passing judgement on anyone", she said.
While the bill passing might not lead to a safe zone being established around Hawke's Bay Hospital, she said the group would continue to do what they could.
