Australian Cloning bill the start of 'barbarism'
Pastor Dale Morgan
Australian Cloning bill the start of 'barbarism'*
March 14, 2007 07:26am
Article from: AAP
A BILL introduced in the Victorian parliament that aims to allow
therapeutic cloning by bringing the state in line with recent changes to
Australian law would usher in a new age of "scientific barbarism",
according to the Festival of Light Australia Christian group.
The Government introduced changes to the Infertility Treatment Act in
parliament last night.
Premier Steve Bracks has promised MPs a conscious vote on the issue.
Festival of Light Australia spokesman Peter Stevens has condemned the
move saying it was the first step on the road to reproductive cloning.
"When Aldous Huxley wrote his classic novel Brave New World in 1932, it
was merely satirical fiction about cloned and manipulated human babies,"
Mr Stevens said.
"But the proposed bill to legalise human cloning suggests that Huxley's
satire is starting to become horribly true," he said.
"This legislation, passed in federal parliament last December despite
strong opposition especially in the senate, is the first step on the
road to reproductive cloning."
Therapeutic cloning, also known as somatic cell nuclear transfer,
involves inserting the nucleus of a diseased adult skin cell into an
unfertilised egg, then using the resultant embryonic stem cells for
medical purposes.
The research is aimed at curing diseases such as Alzheimer's and
Parkinson's.
"This legislation would allow scientists to manufacture a new human life
in the laboratory by cloning with the sole purpose of dissecting this
new life for research," Mr Stevens said.
"It is barbaric to treat one human being as a mere source of tissue for
research to try to help other human beings.
"It is a 'brave new world' where the strong use the weak as they please.
"I hope that there are enough decent men and women in the Victorian
parliament to refuse to agree to these outrageous proposals."
The bill will have its second reading in parliament today, then be
adjourned for debate in April, with the new laws expected to be in place
by mid-year.