Having been part of the fight for reproductive rights as president of ALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa, Terry Bellamak says she’s struck by the similarities between the struggles for abortion rights and assisted dying. Both prioritise bodily autonomy Both abortion rights and the right to voluntary assisted dying are founded on the idea that our physical … Read more
Two deeply religious men are standing for Labour in South Auckland. But Justin Latif reports that their views on the abortion law reforms are very different. On a bitterly cold Friday morning, the Māngere electorate candidates’ debate heated up when the topic of abortion was raised. Following a question related to whether candidates supported the recent … Read more
Last night Amy Adams, who is resigning from parliament after 12 years later this year, addressed the House during the third reading of the Abortion Legislation Bill. The historic bill would go on to pass 68-51, removing abortion from the Crimes Act and making it legal to self-refer for an abortion up to 20 weeks. … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Suspected case of Covid-19 in Samoa, MFAT urges NZers overseas to come home, and aviation support package to be announced today. A suspected case of Covid-19 is currently being tested in Samoa, bringing to light concerns that the coronavirus could be devastating in the Pacific. Stuff reports … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Covid-19 officially declared to be a pandemic, abortion clinic Safe Zones stripped from legislation, and Hauraki Gulf under extreme biodiversity pressure. Overnight, the World Health Organisation officially declared that the Covid-19 outbreak has become a pandemic, reports AP News. That’s a term defined as a disease spreading … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Warnings about waterways in mass eel deaths, government funding approved for Christchurch stadium, and two Covid-19 tests come back negative. Frankly, this is one of the most visually horrifying environmental stories I’ve ever seen. Farah Hancock at Newsroom has looked at the extreme pressure being put on waterways … Read more
On Tuesday, people from all across New Zealand will gather to demand the Abortion Legislation Bill be passed and that abortion be removed from the Crimes Act. Jessie Anne Dennis from Fem Force – Feminist Action Aotearoa explains why you should get involved. At the end of this week, the Abortion Legislation Bill will exit … Read more
In the latest episode of On The Rag, based on the podcast of the same name, watch as Alex Casey, Michèle A’Court and Leonie Hayden tackle the issue of abortion and why the law has to change. In the fifth episode of our mana wāhine series On the Rag, Alex, Michèle and Leonie look at the … Read more
Alex Casey, Leonie Hayden, Michèle A’Court tackle the past month in women, with thanks to our friends at The Women’s Bookshop. Mother Earth? What about Father Earth?! In cool news, the world is on fire and some men aren’t using reusable bags because they think it makes them look less masculine. There’s also the scarily familiar … Read more
On The Rag host Leonie Hayden got (fake) pregnant and decided to get a (fake) abortion. This is her story. Every year in New Zealand about 13,000 people have abortions. And every year in New Zealand about 200 people are denied abortions. Under our current abortion laws we have an illusion of choice. Abortion care … Read more
In the latest episode of On the Rag, Alex Casey sits down with ALRANZ’s Terry Bellamak to bust some common myths about abortion. Since 2015, Terry Bellamak has been the president of the Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand (ALRANZ), a group that advocates for abortion law reform alongside further reproductive rights, including the … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Major new IPCC report released, Queenstown’s mayor puts a halt on airport expansion plans, and abortion bill passes first reading. The latest major, global climate change report has given a more complete picture of the damage being done to land itself. The IPCC report details how … Read more
Yesterday the NZ parliament passed the Abortion Legislation Bill by 94 to 23 in a conscience vote. Below, a selection of abridged speeches from the first reading Andrew Little (Labour) Around 13,200 abortions are carried out in New Zealand each year under our current law. Under that law, when a woman seeks an abortion, she … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Shape of abortion law reform announced, dramatic night plays out at Ihumātao, and opposition brews to Catholic Cathedral decision in Christchurch. The reforms to abortion law have been formally announced, and they will fulfil a long-term promise from the PM and her government. Abortion will be … Read more
In February 2018, justice minister Andrew Little wrote to the Law Commission asking for advice on abortion law reform that would ensure New Zealand’s laws are consistent with treating abortion as a health issue instead of a crime. Today the government announced its intention to remove abortion from the Crimes Act. So what just happened? … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Greens push policy at restive annual conference, police alarm Ihumātao protectors by showing rifles, and two major stories about dodgy historic rubbish dumps. The Green Party have held their annual conference over the weekend, and it heralded both policy drives, and organisational blows. We’ll start with … Read more
Alex Casey, Leonie Hayden, Michèle A’Court tackle the past month in women, with thanks to our friends at The Women’s Bookshop. This month on On the Rag, we have a lot of making up to do after skipping out on our July episode. You haven’t missed much though, because Brian Tamaki is still screaming about abortion … Read more
They call themselves conscientious objectors, but doctors opposed to abortion are causing significant harm to patients, according to a new study. Alex Casey reports on a call for a crackdown. Patients seeking abortion care in New Zealand are experiencing significant delays, financial cost and feelings of stigma and embarrassment as a result of the broad … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Second round of gun law changes announced, hundreds with conditions like Down syndrome get early Kiwisaver, and a major refusal to participate in March 15 inquiry. The second major phase of gun law reform has been announced by the government. Interest reports a gun register will be … Read more
Marian Keyes is a stone-cold legend: terrifically funny and emotionally intelligent, and never afraid of the dark. She deserves all the prizes. In lieu of that, here’s a heartfelt piece by Scarlett Cayford, who grew up steeped in Keyes’ stories and sensibilities. My first encounter with Marian Keyes was in a bedroom in Devonport in … Read more
Lucy Kelly’s essay ‘How working in an abortion clinic changed my mind about terminations‘ remains one of the most popular posts in Spinoff history. Two years on, she reflects on its international impact, and how the abortion debate has, and hasn’t, moved on in New Zealand. Two years ago I published an essay about how … Read more
Alex Casey, Leonie Hayden, Michèle A’Court tackle the past month in women, with thanks to our friends at The Women’s Bookshop. Rough winds do shake the darling pod of May, but that won’t stop the On the Rag team huddling together in the midst of a thunderstorm. Not to get all Gone by Lunchtime on you, … Read more
The Side Eye is a monthly non-fiction comic by Toby Morris, supported by NZ On Air. Read more comics here.
Men need to put aside their discomfort and support New Zealand women in the wake of Alabama’s abortion ban, writes Zoe Deans. Kiwi bloke stoicism hasn’t really equipped anyone to deal with outpourings of pain. And right now, it’s all around. Your friends, your wife, your workmates, your sister – we’re shocked, scared, furious, hurt … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Major milestone reached in Pike River story, report paints damning picture of parliamentary bullying, and Alfred Ngaro builds profile with abortion comments. For the families of those men killed in the Pike River mine explosion, yesterday was a culmination of years of hard work. Almost nine years … Read more
Asking if a women needs an abortion is the wrong question. The right one is whether you think women should have rights to their own bodies without interference from the state, writes Sophie Bateman for Newshub. Abortion is never not a hot-button topic, but it’s certainly having a moment right now. Harsh new restrictions in … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Judicial review action launched against Hit and Run inquiry, healthy new chunk for conservation estate, and changes to sex crime trial process recommended. The lawyers representing Afghan villagers caught up in Operation Burnham have launched a new legal action – this time against the inquiry itself. Operation … Read more
International Women’s Day is a day to reflect on how far women have come, and how far we still have to go. Family Planning chief executive Jackie Edmond looks to the future and what sexual and reproductive health barriers remain to be overcome. In 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding voting rights, … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: MPs weigh in on upcoming student climate strikes, backpackers speak out about NZ work conditions, and sex crime reports still not resulting in charges. Some of New Zealand’s MPs have little good to say about the upcoming school strikes around climate change. Demonstrations will be taking place … Read more