About the Abortion Supervisory Committee
The Abortion Supervisory Committee is constituted under the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act 1977, and has three members.
The Committee is constituted under the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act 1977. It consists of three members, including two registered medical practitioners. One member is appointed as Chairperson. Members are appointed initially for a three-year term.
The Committee is responsible for keeping under review all the provisions of New Zealand's abortion law and the operation and effect of those provisions.
This includes licensing institutions to perform abortions and the appointment of certifying consultants to consider cases.
The Committee makes regular visits to licensed institutions.
To read the specific powers and functions of the Committee, see the Act.
Register of medical practitioners
Under the Act, the Committee is required to maintain a list of medical practitioners, termed certifying consultants, who may be called upon to consider cases and determine whether to authorise an abortion. For a list of certifying consultants, contact us.
Annual Report
The Abortion Supervisory Committee produces an Annual Report, which is tabled in Parliament. It contains a summary of the Committee's activities during the year, together with statistical information on the number of abortions performed in the previous calendar year.
Annual Report 2010 (PDF, 708Kb)
Monthly meetings
The Committee meets monthly to deal with licence renewals, certifying consultant reappointments, and general business such as correspondence and Official Information Act requests.
