Leading up to this week’s caucus meeting with the media this morning, he said he saw the need to remove the post before being addressed by leader Christopher Luxon, and that it was not a gag order.
“I’m not gagged,” he said. “I’m a big believer in free speech, but all rights have limits and in this case the nature of the comments – the suffering, the pain – has to stop and I cannot facilitate it.”
“We had a discussion … I offered [to take the post down] first because… it was actually a spiral.”
The responses to his post had become toxic and unhealthy, he said, and the hours-long delay in deleting the post was because he’d been busy.
“This is going to sound ridiculous. I was spraying water on my way and I didn’t have my phone with me.”
He has acknowledged the post as a misstep, saying he clearly hadn’t given it enough thought and would apologize to his fellow national MPs.
“One of the great things about the National Party is that we can talk freely, and colleagues have told me they are angry and I recognize that… National has always had a wide range of views and I feel incredibly comfortable with that.” .”
Some voters have called for O’Connor’s removal from his seat over the issue, but leader Christopher Luxon said he supported him. He said he supported his entire caucus and that the selection of the candidates for the next election would take place normally.
“That will ultimately be a decision for the National Party in Tāmaki. We will start the selection procedures in the second half of this year … each electorate will be allowed to choose its candidates and go through selection processes.”
He said the problem with O’Connor’s post was the way it was interpreted.
“It was not the National Party’s opinion, but it was interpreted that way – and so it was a very simple, very quick and very constructive conversation.”
Luxon is open about his personal pro-life views, but has repeatedly made it clear that this would not affect his party’s position.
“Our abortion laws have been settled. We’ve had the debate, we’ve had the discussion. We’ve voted on them, we’ve settled them, and they must be respected and enforced, and we’re not going to challenge or revise our abortion laws again.”
He promised that abortion laws would not be revised this weekend under a future national government, and that related health services would remain fully funded.
Deputy Leader Nicola Willis takes a pro-choice stance on the matter, saying she was “hollowed out” for America after the Supreme Court ruling. What really mattered here, though, was that abortion laws wouldn’t be subject to change, she said.
“I trust New Zealanders will see through the row and the politics and get to the heart of the matter where I think we are in a good position.”
The party’s spokesperson for women, Nicola Grigg, took much of the same view, dismissing charges that national MPs would individually introduce bills on the issue.
“They would have to submit a bill to our caucus and our caucus would discuss it and vote accordingly – but similarly a Labor MP or a Greens MP or a Māori Party MP can introduce a bill.”
She also poured cold water on the suggestion that MPs were being silenced.
“We don’t have a bill in front of us, we haven’t been beaten… we’re not told what to say.
“There are also different opinions not only within the National Party.”
So did Labor, which also took a conscientious approach to voting to remove abortion from the Crimes Act.
Secretary of State Nanaia Mahuta – who is currently abroad – has been criticized for tweeting opposition to the US legal ruling, despite voting against the government’s 2020 decriminalization bill.
Fellow Labor MP Meka Whaitiri had also voted against the legislation, but explained today that her stance was more nuanced and that she was happy with the government’s decision not to repeal it.
“Absolutely…as I said, support women’s choice, it’s a health issue, that’s why we took it out of the Crimes Act. I was just very clear about why I voted against – for cultural reasons and upholding our whakapapa in this land.”
Her vote against the legislation was for cultural reasons, she said.
“I met Māori women in my electorate … for me it is a cultural issue around Whakapapa, of keeping the number of Māori alive and also the practice of child abortion was not well understood in Māori circles.”
List MP Anahila Kanongata’a-Suisuiki also opposed the decriminalization of abortion – and remained against it – but was also satisfied with how the case had turned out.
“My stance has always been clear, I’ve always voted no…my opinion has always been consistent, but to me that’s now part of the fabric of New Zealand – women’s choice for abortion. We’re currently grappling with the cost of living, that’s my focus at the moment.”
Others in Labor did not oppose the abortion principle, but were particularly concerned at the time about the 2020 legislation.
incoming House Speaker Adrian Rurawhe said he was concerned about the limits on late abortions.
“I thought the 20-week limit should have been a lot stronger…If it was as it was described when it was first suggested…I would have been okay with it.”
Greg O’Connor said he would also have wanted a higher abortion test threshold after 20 weeks.
“I personally voted against the bill last year on a very limited basis… I have an intellectually disabled son, and I put in an SOP (Supplementary Order Paper), I named it the Michael Clause after him.
“On the broad issue of abortion” [it’s] permanent law in New Zealand. If it was going to be a broad topic, I’d vote for it.”
Labor MP for Te Tai Tonga, Rino Tirikatene, said his own stance on the issue was very personal.
“My mom was advised by her doctor to have an abortion when she was carrying me, so it was a very personal matter.”
It was equally personal for his Hamilton East colleague Jamie Strange.
“I actually didn’t know that was Rino’s situation, but my mom was also advised to have an abortion in 1975 — she didn’t, which is why I’m here today,” said Strange. “It’s certainly multifaceted and I think we both recognize that it’s a very complex issue.”
Both said they felt able to express their views.
“We’re a broad church and we’re a really broad church,” said Strange.
Michael Wood, however, did his best to separate matters of church and state.
“I am someone who voted for abortion law reform… who believes it is important that it be treated as a health issue. I am also someone who is both a committed parliamentarian and a person of faith, and I think it is important that public policy matters that there is some division.
“For individuals who carry beliefs and/or deep convictions, it is perfectly appropriate or reasonable for us to consider them when making important decisions in our roles… [but] it strikes me as a concern when public institutions end up acting in a way that is more theocratic than democratic.”