MPs have delivered passionate speeches on whether abortion should be decriminalised as the Abortion Legislation Bill had its first reading in Parliament this afternoon.
The bill, which passed its first reading by 94 votes to 23, will remove abortion from the Crimes Act and bring it under health legislation as a health issue.
Changes include self-referral, meaning women can go directly to an abortion clinic and will not need to see their GP, while the need for counselling is also removed.
Women under 20 weeks pregnant will no longer be subject to any kind of test, while women who're over 20 weeks pregnant will now only need the approval of one doctor, as opposed to two.
National Party Deputy Leader Paula Bennett supported removing abortion from the Crimes Act, and argued that no matter what the House does it will not stop abortions happening.
"So if the most right wing, conservative, doesn't agree, stepped in here next week and said 'this is the law', they would be happening illegally. And we would be going through what we've seen in past decades, some of the most horrific health treatment," Ms Bennett said.
Emotions ran high as MPs on all sides debated the divisive issue. (Source: Other)
"So in my opinion we have a role to do it with compassion, to do it with the right checks and balances in place," she said.
Ms Bennett said she worries about women being coerced to have abortions, "and particularly with some of our younger girls who find themselves with unwanted pregnancies".
"I want to see them getting the right counselling, I want to see them having the right sort of backup that they can make the best choices for them."
But fellow National MP Agnes Loheni said it's the termination of a life that's being discussed.
"No matter which way one tries to dress this up we are discussing the termination of a life. We can play tug of war and quibble over whether we are talking viable life six weeks, 12 weeks 20 weeks, actual life or a life not until its born. But at least we are talking about the life of a baby facing termination," she said.
"So to dress this bill in euphemistic language that talks of health issues is disingenuous."
Ms Loheni said the vast majority of abortions are performed as a result of unintended pregnancies.
The Prime Minister was among the many politicians who had their say in Parliament this evening. (Source: Other)
"The most common reason cited are that pregnancy would interfere with education, work or an ability to care for existing children. Financial stress also plays a part, as does the realisation that a mother felt her family was already complete - I understand that."
Ms Loheni said she was shocked to find out she was pregnant with her fifth child after she and her husband had agreed they would stop at four.
"But for most of us mothers we very quickly get over it and proceed with our lives and our pregnancies. And I ended up with a beautiful son after having four gorgeous daughters," she said.
Earlier in the week Labour and the MP in charge of negotiating on this for New Zealand First, Tracey Martin, were caught by surprise when NZ First decided it wanted a referendum on the issue to let the public can have its say.
Ms Martin today apologised for the lateness of this, saying she didn't realise it was part of the mix for her party.
Ms Martin had wanted to share a personal story in more detail, and became emotional when referring to her mother's birth mother, Beverly Williams.
"I've talked about Beverly in this House before. We never knew Beverly. My mother doesn't really remember Beverly. Beverly left her two-year- old daughter and five-year-old son in 1943 and it took well into the 1980s for us to find out what happened to her," she said, weeping. She said the story would have to wait.
Ms Martin said New Zealand First would be casting nine votes in favour of the legislation today and at second reading.
"The law relating to abortion is over 40 years old. It is time for it to be discussed and to be reviewed."
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