VOTING RECORD OF MPs ON ABORTION SINCE 1990

√ = Liberal vote                          X= Conservative vote                 - = Absent or abstained

Sir Roger Douglas was the only current MP at the 1977-78 debates and he voted liberal.

1.  August 1990. Repeal of Section 3 Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act relating to contraceptive advice to under16s. Introduced by Minister of Health Helen Clark. Other changes to the abortion laws in 1989 did not proceed but there was little opposition to the removal of this contentious clause. The vote was 54-14. The only one of the 14 ultra conservatives remaining in Parliament is John Carter.

2.  May 1992. An attempt by conservative Graeme Lee to replace Mrs White, chairperson of the Abortion Supervisory Committee (ASC) with Nola McGowan, Auckland lawyer. Failed by 43-24. Nick Smith supported Lee.

3.  June 1993. Another vote on appointments to the ASC. An attempt by conservative Geoff Braybrooke to bring in SPUC endorsed doctor (Dr Christine Taylor, Christchurch) in opposition to Don McKinnon’s nominee, Dr Christine Forster. McKinnon’s nomination was approved 49-15. Bill English supported Braybrooke.

4.  November 1995. Another attempt by Geoff Braybrooke to replace Marlene Lamb by Nola McGowan on the ASC. Defeated 63-24. Braybrooke supporters included John Carter, Bill English, and more surprisingly George Hawkins.

5.  November 2004. An attempt by conservatives to amend Clause 37 of the Care of Children Bill making it compulsory for parents to be advised when an under 16 year old was seeking an abortion. The amendments by National MP Judith Collins were in two Supplementary Order Papers 292 (mandatory notification) and 293 (research by ASC) and most MPs voted the same way. The exceptions were Bill English who voted for 292 and against 293, and Paul Hutchison who voted against 292 and for 293. This meant that both amendments failed by the same margin 75-45. The voting given in the table is for the principal amendment on mandatory notification. One surprising vote for the amendment came from Maurice Williamson, usually liberal.

6.  November 2004. Clause 37 of the Care of Children Bill. This is the voting for the amendment proposed by United Future’s Murray Smith making it illegal for a Certifying Consultant to approve an under 16’s abortion unless satisfied that a parent or guardian had been notified. If not, the Certifying Consultant had to apply to a judge of the District Court or Family Court to gain approval. This was stricter than Judith Collin’s amendment and failed by 94-26. Those 26 can be considered hard liners, 7 remain, Carter J, Collins, Dunne, English, Heatley, Smith N, Turia.

7.  November 2004. Clause 37 of the Care of Children Bill. This is the voting for the amendment proposed by NZ First’s Dail Jones to omit Clause 37. It failed by an even greater margin 97-22. Tariana Turia did not vote.

8.  June 14 2007. ASC appointments. Copeland (Independent) amendment to appoint Dr Ate Moala instead of Dr Rosy Fenwicke. Defeated 81-36.

9.  June 14 2007. ASC appointments. Brown (NZ First) amendment to appoint Dr Peter Hall instead of Patricia Allan. Defeated 76-29.

10.  June 14 2007. ASC appointments: Professor Linda Holloway, Dr Rosy Fenwicke and Patricia Allan. Passed 102-11 with 5 abstentions. Not present were Anderton, Field, Sharples.

In the following table:

F=female

L=List candidate.

Party affiliation: N=National, L=Labour, G=Green, M=Maori, A=ACT, P=Progressive, U=United Future.