Media Release
28 July 2010

Pro-life university students are now under new leadership, after Prolife New Zealand held a Special General Meeting this week.

Sargia Harrison, 22 years, is the new President of ProlifeNZ. She has been involved in the prolife movement for the past two years, and brings a wealth of expereince into her new role.

“I’m looking forward to what ProlifeNZ will achieve in the coming months,” says Ms. Harrison. “As more people become engaged on this issue, we have a fantastic opportunity to spread the pro-life message on campuses throughout NZ and I will strive to encourage the work being done by the University of Canterbury and the University of Auckland pro-life clubs.

“Abortion kills thousands of unborn children every year, and our organisation aims to be a positive influence in reducing these horrifying statistics.”

Ms. Harrison is the former vice-president of ProlifeNZ, and has been heavily involved with the University of Canterbury club over the past two years.

ENDS

More Information
Sargia Harrison
0273317597

Media Release
2 July 2010

ProLife NZ is appalled to hear of MP Steve Chadwick’s proposed bill to legalise abortion on demand in New Zealand up to 24 weeks into a pregnancy.

“This bill ignores both science and common sense,” said Prolife NZ Acting President Sargia Harrison. “It has been proven that babies can survive outside the womb from around 20 weeks into a pregnancy. In some cases babies have survived from an even younger age.”

Recently the UK government has announced plans to reduce legal abortion age from 24 weeks to 22 or 20 weeks, acknowledging that advances in science mean that babies can survive from increasingly early ages.

“It goes against common sense to be moving in the opposite direction in NZ,” she said. “New Zealand should be ashamed of its abortion numbers rather than taking moves to liberalise our laws even further.”

“Abortion statistics released only two weeks ago showed that 529 teenage girls who had abortions in 2009 had had multiple abortions with one girl as young as 11. This change to abortion laws will only mean that more pre-born children are needlessly killed. As a society we should be supporting these young women through difficult situations, and facing the fact that taking innocent life is not the answer,” Ms. Harrison said.

“New Zealand desperately needs to confront the issue of abortion. For too long we have stood back and allowed pre-born children to be killed without any thought. We need to discuss the issue, focusing on how we can reduce the high number of abortions, rather than denying even more pre-born children the most basic of human rights – the right to life.”

ENDS

Prolife NZ is a youth-based pro-life organisation with a growing membership throughout New Zealand and campus groups established at Auckland and Canterbury University.

More Information:
Sargia Harrison
0273317597

Media Release
18 June 2010

Prolife NZ is today welcoming the 2009 New Zealand Abortion Statistics which were released on June 17 by Statistics New Zealand.

The report shows that the abortion rate has dropped by almost 2.2% since 2008, with 17,550 abortions in 2009.

“This means 390 fewer unborn children have been killed, and 390 fewer women have been affected” says Sargia Harrison, Vice President of ProlifeNZ. “The statistics reflect the growing change in attitude towards abortion, as more people are standing up for life.”

In July 2008, Justice Miller ruled that “there is reason to doubt the lawfulness of many [New Zealand] abortions”, which has helped raise public awareness.

Ms. Harrison says “it alerted many New Zealanders to the chilling nature of an ‘abortion on demand’ culture”.

Recent Gallup polls have also shown that more Americans now call themselves pro-life than pro-choice, for the first time since 1995.

“The debate is changing, as more people develop an awareness of the reality of abortion,” says Ms. Harrison. “We are looking forward to a time when, like slavery, abortion will be treated for what it is.

“More than ever, it is vital that young people speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, those still growing inside their mothers’ wombs.”

Prolife NZ is a student organisation, which seeks to encourage and support pro-life students.

“We want to see an even lower figure in the 2010 statistics”, says Ms. Harrison. “We believe in the value of every human life and will continue to educate young people about the real nature of abortion.”

ENDS

More Information:
Sargia Harrison
0273317597

Media Release: Prolife NZ
20 May 2010

Prolife NZ is today celebrating the successful affiliation of Prolife Auckland at the University of Auckland.

“We’ve seen the group working hard to affiliate since they first attempted last year, and it’s great to see that they’ve finally succeeded,” says Sargia Harrison, ProLife NZ Vice President.

The group affiliated at the Auckland University Students Association’s (AUSA) student forum on Wednesday the 12th of May, after a strong debate over whether all students should be able to express their views on campus.
The final vote was taken with 89 in favour, 33 opposed, and 10 abstentions.

“We’re looking forward to some healthy discussion and debate over the issue of life, which is important to so many people”, says Ms Harrison. “Prolife NZ and its affiliated groups aren’t aiming to be offensive, or make people feel guilty, but we do want to see both sides of the issue fairly represented.

“One of the best things about these groups is that they bring people together, uniting students to uphold the value of life.”

The affiliation came about after the group overturned a ban against pro-life clubs in March. Since 2002, pro-life clubs only had one opportunity each year to affiliate, while other student groups could affiliate most weeks at a student forum.
“We’re glad this discrimination no longer exists against pro-life students,” says Ms Harrison.

Prolife New Zealand serves to exist as a means of supporting and connecting student groups. Previous campus activities in Christchurch have included the Day of Silent Solidarity, campus talks and discussions, and informational stalls at university clubs days.

ENDS

More Information
Sargia Harrison
0273317597

Media Release: ProLife Auckland
12 May 2010

University of Auckland pro-life group, Prolife Auckland, is today delighted to announce their successful affiliation at the University of Auckland this afternoon.

“We’ve been working to affiliate for over six months,” says Prolife Auckland President Simeon Brown. “It’s been a hard struggle, but we’ve finally succeeded.”

The group affiliated this afternoon at the student association’s (AUSA) forum. Debate occurred over whether the pro-life group should affiliate, with those in favour arguing that all students should have the right to choose what they believe and to express their views on campus.

A vote was taken with 89 votes in favour, 33 opposed and 8 abstentions. With a majority, the pro-life club was affiliated.

This comes on the heels of the group’s recent overturning of a ban against pro-life groups. Since 2002, anyone wanting to start a pro-life club on campus has had only one opportunity every 365 days to try and gain official club status, but any other club simply had to wait seven days to try their hand and chance the odds.

“The ruling had clearly been discriminatory and designed to shut down debate on abortion,” he says. “It was amazing to have overturned it.”

The club now has the status of every other AUSA club, being able to use club space, apply for grants and operate on campus.

“This is a victory for common-sense and freedom of expression more than anything, as well as an acknowledgment that pro-life is a valid perspective”, concludes Mr Brown.

ENDS

More information:
Simeon Brown
021 02724242

Thursday, 25 March 2010
Media Release: Prolife NZ

An eight year ban on pro-life clubs has been successfully overturned at Auckland University this week.

“Between 2002 and 2010 the AUSA (Auckland University Students Association) has banned any pro-life club affiliating. The AUSA had a special rule on their policy books that applied only to people who want to start a pro-life club on campus,” says Simeon Brown, an AUSA member aiming to start a pro-life club. “This special rule dictated that pro-life clubs can only apply to become an official club at an AGM – but those meetings happen only once every year.”

“But anyone who wants to start any other club can apply to become an official club at a Student Forum. These meetings happen weekly.”

In effect this rule meant that anyone wanting to start a pro-life club on campus has had only one opportunity every 365 days to try and gain official club status, but any other club simply has to wait seven days to try their hand and chance the odds. This has been clearly discriminatory and designed to shut down debate on abortion.

An Agenda item was submitted by Simeon Brown and Seconded by AUSA Vice President Joe McCrory at yesterday’s AUSA annual general meeting. McCrory explained the purpose of the motion, saying that it was to allow for freedom of speech and equality of views rather than whether abortion is right or wrong, and a vote was taken.

Out of the several hundred AUSA members present, only 3 opposed the motion and 1 abstained leading to near unanimous support and the discriminatory rule being overturned.

Pro-life clubs are now able to affiliate with the AUSA like any other club, with no discrimination against their point of view. With the ban now overturned, the proposed pro-life club can now affiliate through the normal process at a Student forum.

ENDS

Media Release
11 February 2010

ProLife NZ wishes to express its support for a protest march against the Family Planning Association’s Application for an Abortion Licence.

The march which will take place in Wellington tomorrow is being organised by an organisation called Stop Family Planning with a purpose of urging the Abortion Supervisory Committee to deny the FPA a licence to commit RU486 abortions in its Hamilton clinic.

ProLife NZ shares the concern of Stop Family Planning that too many abortions are taking place in New Zealand and that the granting of an abortion Licence to the FPA will only worsen the situation.

ProLife NZ spokesperson Lydia Moore will be one of the speakers to address the rally at Parliament.

The March begins at 12:30pm at Civic Square Friday 12 March with a rally outside Parliament.

ENDS

For More Information
Contact Lydia Moore
Ph: 027 8255625

Media Release
19 October 2009

New Zealand Youth will tomorrow wear red duct-tape over their mouths as they give up their voices in solidarity with the children who have died from abortion.

Students on university campuses and in schools will gather together and stand in silent solidarity for the unborn. Red arm bands and duct tape will identify them as participating in the Pro-life Day of Silent Solidarity.

At the University of Canterbury and the University of Auckland, participants are demonstrating with a silent protest on campus. Each will carry fliers explaining why they are silent and educating about the plight of the innocent children lost every day.

“Every year in New Zealand, 18,000 babies are silenced by abortion before they have a chance to speak – that’s one every 30 minutes,” says Andy Moore, National Director of Prolife NZ. “We’re giving up our voices for over 400,000 New Zealand babies who’ve been silenced forever.”

Prolife NZ is primarily a campus-orientated group, and is working with pro-life groups Right to Life, Voice for Life and Family Life International to promote the event.

The Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity was started in the United States in 2004 by pro-life group Stand True. Students from over 3,200 schools and campuses around the World will be participating in 2009. This year is the second time the event has taken place in New Zealand.

The event’s website is prolife.org.nz/silentday

ENDS

For More Information, contact Prolife NZ:
Andy Moore – National Director
Mob. 021 1140 751 Email: andy@prolife.org.nz

Media Release
28 August 2009

Youth-based pro-life group, Prolife NZ is today delighted to announce their support of the Cancer Society’s Daffodil Day.

The Cancer Society of New Zealand does a wonderful and important job raising awareness of the danger of cancer,” says Prolife NZ National Director Andy Moore. “They are an essential and valuable part of our society as they tirelessly promote preventative measures to save more Kiwis from cancer.”

Cancer affects 1 in 3 New Zealanders. Prolife NZ wishes to draw attention to the little-known but scientifically proven link between abortion and breast cancer. An Australian study indicated that an induced abortion increases a woman’s chance of getting breast cancer by 150%¹

“Abortion is cruel because it takes the life away from a helpless unborn human-being,” he says. “But our group is also dedicated to the support of everybody involved in a crisis pregnancy situation – especially the mother.”

The link is very simple. Abortion interrupts the natural process of breast development, leaving the breast with more cells that can become cancerous. Elevated levels of estrogen, starting early in the pregnancy, cause normal and pre-cancerous cells to multiply and stimulate the breasts to swell. Third trimester hormones of a full-term pregnancy change cells into cancer-resistant, milk-producing tissue and turn off their growth (and cancer-forming) potential.²

“We strongly encourage mothers who are considering an abortion to consider not only the life of their pre-born child, but also the danger that this increased chance of breast cancer poses to them.”

Prolife NZ has made a donation of $100 to the valuable work of the Cancer Society, and calls on all Kiwis to make a donation to its excellent and important work.

References
1. Andrieu et al. (1995) BR J Cancer 72:744-51
2. Voice for Life NZ 2006, “Abortion Raises Breast Cancer risk”

ENDS

For more information, contact Prolife NZ:
Andy Moore – National Director
Mob. 021 1140 751 Email: andy@prolife.org.nz