Embryonic stem cells - 2006 legislation

The Australian federal government legislated in 2006 to allow the creation of embryos in order to extract their stem cells and thus destroy the embryo...

Read our detailed campaign page for more information on the bill, the campaign and the vote.

Overview:
Four years after the passing of a bill to allow the use of embryos to extract stem cells for research (thus killing the embryo), the Lockhart Committee reviewed the situation.

This was officially called the Legislation Review Committee on the Prohibition of Human Cloning Act 2002 and the Research Involving Human Embryos Act 2002 (the Lockhart review).

* Although Mr Howard said, in August 2006, that the government would not legislate to allow further research on embryos, Senator Kay Patterson, Liberal Senator for Victoria, said she would put forward a private member's bill on this matter, which she proceeded to do.

* It was called the Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction and the Regulation of Human Embryo Research Amendment Bill 2006.

* The Senate asked the Senate Community Affairs Committee to investigate the recommendations of the Lockhart Committee regarding cloning - the creation of embryos to be destroyed for research - and any possible bills that may be proposed. The Committee had to report to the Senate before the end of October. Click here for their Report.

* The Senate voted in favour of the Bill on 7 November 2006. The Bill was passed by 34 votes in favour to 32 votes against with 10 Senators 'paired'.

* The Bill then went to the House of Representatives. They passed the Bill on 6 December 2006.
The vote on the second reading of the Bill was 82 for to 62 against. Six MPs were absent from the vote. Michael Ferguson (Liberal MP from Launceston, Tasmania) moved an amendment that would have prohibited the use of eggs from aborted baby girls.
Unfortunately this amendment was defeated by 23 votes: 76 to 53.
The full Bill was then put to the House of Representatives - it was carried 'on the voices' without a formal vote.

Read our full campaign page on the issue - click here.
The campaign page contains details and links for the votes etc.