Little, Adams and others responsible for introducing this Abortion Bill are deceitful in justifying this Bill in terms of removing abortion from the Crimes Act or solely being a health issue.

Pregnancy is not an illness or sickness. Ending the life of an innocent, unborn child because it is an inconvenience to the mother for the child to be born is murder in spite of Little scoffing at the use of this word to describe an abortion.

There is much talk about the rights of women to choose what to do with their own body but few politicians seem willing to stand up for the rights of the unborn child. They are to be treated as just another piece of tissue to be removed. Women have a choice at the outset to choose contraception. The unborn child has no choice in the matter.

The indecent haste at which this legislation is being rushed through with little time for formal submissions and unwillingness to send this to a binding public referendum is deplorable. It seems that even though this is supposed to be a conscience vote many MPs are voting in terms of what is politically expedient. Clearly legalising a harmful and addictive substance is a more important referendum issue than the liberalisation of our abortion law.

The total hypocrisy of Ardern and her colleagues who promised a compassionate and caring government in supporting the rights of the most vulnerable beggars belief.

The support of the Greens for this Bill is hardly surprising and shows that protecting trees and whales is clearly more important to them than protecting human life. What is very disappointing is to see so many National MPs support this bill.

Many voters will note the choice taken by their MP on this Bill and have their say in next year's election. It seems that the New Conservative Party remains the only political party which has decent family and social policies to offer the electorate.

John Rudd, Oropi