Controversy: The Australian government overturns a ban on therapeutic cloning

The controversial bill regarding an overturn of the ban on therapeutic cloning finally reached its close late on Wednesday 6th December – parliament voted for the bill to pass, legalizing cloning human embryos for stem cell research (therapeutic cloning)..

The vote was a conscience vote – one in which each member of parliament votes according to their personal beliefs, rather than according to an official line declared by their political party. Ms Gillard, the labour party’s health spokeswomen, told Nine Network that “members of parliament, irrespective of political parties went all ways on it.”

She emphasized that this issue is “not about political parties, it’s about something a bit deeper than that.”

So what are the deep issues provoked by this new law?

One issue, which resulted in the loss of support of Labour leader Kevin Rudd, was the law’s support for the creation of a human life for the single and explicit purpose of experimentation on it. Guy Barnett, Liberal Tasmanian senator, also follows this view, being deeply disappointed that “we’re now creating life for the purpose of research, and that’s destruction.”

Natasha Stott Despoia, Australian Democrats senator, has a very different perspective on this new law. Rather than destruction, she feels that “[it] will give scientists and researchers the tools they need to understand diseases, and hopefully one day cure them.” Victorian premier Steve Bracks also welcomed this legislation believing that it “offers hope to thousands of Australians who suffer from debilitating diseases, such as Parkinson’s or motor neurone disease.”

However, both supporters and objectors of this law agree that there should be much more public debate on the issue. As Democrats Leader Andrew Bartlett expressed, “It’s still a difficult issue and that’s why…it needs more debate.”

“I’m comfortable with what the legislation will allow, [but] I’m concerned about where the legislation might lead if there’s not more debate.”

What do you think? Email us with your opinions, at: onset@unsw.edu.au

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