Otago University researcher Angel Ballantyne joins Mike Hosking to talk about a loophole in the bill to remove abortion form the crimes act.

The bill is due to go before cabinet next week before being debated in the House.

But new research in today's New Zealand Medical Journal has found the bill would allow doctors to refuse to refer patients to abortion services.

Ballantyne says it also goes one step further - allowing doctors to refuse to refer patients to another doctor who will make the referral.

She adds that is out of step with countries like the UK.

"They're not required to pass on the patient to another doctor who can do that referral, they're allowed to just hand off and say 'I don't do that'."