Health Minister Jonathan Coleman's position that he is "happy" with current abortion law and is a strong supporter of a woman's right to choose has been labelled contradictory by Labour leader Andrew Little.

Debate on whether New Zealand's 40-year-old abortion law needs updating is building as new research reveals a majority of Kiwis support abortion being legal across a range of scenarios, including if a woman doesn't want to be a mother.

Abortion is currently on the Crimes Act and legal only if two consultants agree that the pregnancy would seriously harm the woman's mental or physical health or that the fetus would have a serious disability.

The Abortion Supervisory Committee will make its annual appearance at Parliament's justice and electoral committee on Thursday, to report on how abortion law has been managed.

It has repeatedly urged Parliament to review the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act, passed in 1977 and which states the legal grounds for abortion.

Some of the wording is outdated and clumsy and the committee is often asked to clarify the legislation's intentions, particularly around referrals and consultation process, the committee has reported.

One example that speaks to the legislation's era is the fact doctors are referred to as "he".

Prime Minister Bill English on the weekend said the law had "stood the test of time" and didn't need to be updated, and today Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman backed that position.

"I'm happy with the legislation as it is at the moment, but strongly support a woman's right to choose."

Labour leader Andrew Little said such a position was contradictory.

"The law doesn't provide for the woman's right to choose. There are hoops to go through...it is time for a review."

Despite calling for abortion law to be modernised, Little will not commit to introducing legislation if in Government - Labour policy is to have the issue reviewed by the Law Commission.

The Green Party has already settled on policy to decriminalise abortion. Terminations after 20 weeks would be allowed only when the woman would otherwise face serious permanent injury to her health or in the case of severe fetal abnormalities.

New polling

Meanwhile, Curia research has released an abortion issues poll</a> carried out in January for the Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand.

The poll surveyed 1000 New Zealanders, with results weighted to reflect the overall voting adult population.

Respondents were asked if they supported abortion being legal in a number of situations. The results were:

• Pregnant woman is likely to die without an abortion

Legal: 77 per cent

Illegal: 5 per cent

Unsure/refused: 18 per cent

 

• Pregnant woman's health is likely to be permanently harmed without an abortion

Legal: 76 per cent

Illegal: 6 per cent

Unsure/refused: 18 per cent

 

• Foetus has no chance of survival

Legal: 76 per cent

Illegal: 6 per cent

Unsure/refuse: 18 per cent

 

• Pregnancy is the result of rape

Legal: 73 per cent

Illegal: 8 per cent

Unsure/refused: 18 per cent

 

• Pregnancy is a result of birth control failure

Legal: 55 per cent

Illegal: 24 per cent

Unsure/refused: 21 per cent

 

• Pregnant woman can't afford to have another child

Legal: 54 per cent

Illegal: 27 per cent

Unsure/refused: 20 per cent

 

• Pregnant woman doesn't want to be a mother

Legal: 51 per cent

Illegal: 29 per cent

Unsure/refused: 21 per cent