Petition to repeal Wall Act

The policy of NZUSA and STANZ is totally opposed to the Hospitals Amendment Act 1975, the 'Wall Bill" which has now become law. Both Associations are therefore supporting a petition calling for its repeal.

When the Act comes into force on September 1, it will allow therapeutic abortions only in public hospitals and approved private hospitals. This means the Auckland Medical Aid Centre will not be able to continue as a day-patient clinic.

The petition asks Parliament to allow low-cost, non profit-making day patient clinics to perform early therapeutic abortions provided they maintain high professional standards. The petition cites the Auckland Medical Aid Centre as an example of such a clinic.

AMAC is clearly providing an excellent yet relatively inexpensive service on a day-patient basis. By requiring such a clinic to provide entirely unnecessary but expensive overnight facilities, the Hospitals Amendment Act will sharply increase the price of legal abortions but cannot raise the standard of patient care.

Signing the petition will enable you to tell the Parliament to think again. The Petition will raise the issue again at a time when MPs are desperately trying to sweep it under the carpet. (Guess what's happening in November! — big deal, typesetter) If enough sign it, it will be politically difficult to ignore them.