Fed: Abbott supports Lib colleague over stem cell bill

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2006
Fed: Abbott supports Lib colleague over stem cell bill

CANBERRA, Aug 17 AAP - Health Minister Tony Abbott, an outspoken opponent of therapeutic
cloning, has supported a Liberal senator's right to draft a private member's bill overturning
a ban on the procedure.

Senator Kay Patterson, the former health minister, yesterday announced she planned
to introduce a bill that would allow embryonic cloning for the purpose of stem cell research.

"I think that it became pretty clear in the hour or so's discussion we had this week
that there was a wide range of views and there was a real passion to reopen this issue
from a significant number of colleagues," Mr Abbott said, referring to a party room discussion
on Tuesday.

"I think in the light of that, Kay (Patterson) was perfectly entitled to do what she's done."

Senator Patterson plans to base her bill on the findings of the Lockhart review which
recommended the government let scientists create embryos for the purpose of producing
stem cells.

Present laws restrict research to spare IVF embryos.

Cabinet rejected the recommendation in June but Prime Minister John Howard this week
bowed to backbench pressure and promised his MPs a conscience vote should any legislation
come to parliament.

Mr Abbott today said cabinet members would also be given a free vote on the issue and
would not have to adhere to the decision made in June to maintain the status quo.

"Cabinet decided that the government was not going to seek to institute change based
on the Lockhart review, but we didn't decide that members of parliament were prohibited
from bringing private members' bills forward," he said.

"Given that there will be, it seems, a private member's bill come forward, given that
these matters are appropriately matters of conscience should they be debated in the parliament,
well, cabinet ministers are perfectly entitled now to say their piece."

Mr Abbott said many people who voted for the 2002 bill to prohibit human cloning had
changed their mind.

Although they were entitled to do so, Mr Abbott said, he was surprised the unanimous
vote was "apparently out of date so soon".

"I think that it does indicate the slippery slope argument that was put by people back
then, but nevertheless people have a right to change their mind," he said.

"If they now want to revisit that which was absolutely settled forever in 2002, let's
revisit it. But my view will be the same now as it was then."

Mr Abbott said a five-day-old embryo was "certainly human material and, as I understand
it, it has human potential".

"So I think that entitles it to a degree of respect, certainly I think it should be
afforded more respect than it will get if it is created simply to be destroyed."

Meanwhile, Australian Medical Association president Dr Mukesh Haikerwal said the issue
of embryonic stem cell research was as divisive in the medical profession as it was in
the parliament and community.

"What we've been urging for is a debate about it, so we actually are armed with the
facts, and therefore we can make a decision based on what the facts are," he said.

"Ultimately it will need to be a decision of the parliament."

Dr Haikerwal declined to reveal his personal view and said the AMA had not yet fixed
a position on the issue.

"There is a significant polarisation of views within our community of medical practitioners
and therefore we want to make sure we have all the facts at our disposal before we take
any formal, significant position," he said.

AAP jb/sb/srp/de

KEYWORD: STEMCELL ABBOTT

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