Aust govt backflip on stem cell support

The Australian government has quietly reversed its position on therapeutic cloning and embryonic stem cell research by co-sponsoring the Costa Rica-US led proposal to the UN to ban all forms of human cloning including so-called therapeutic cloning and the experimental use of embryonic stem cells.

Democrat senator Natasha Stott Despoja highlighted the apparent backflip at the opening of the Australian Stem Cell Centre's National conference on Monday in Sydney.

"Australia has done a back flip: after initially opposing the Costa Rican motion which proposed a ban on all forms of cloning, we co-sponsored it, despite this pre-empting our own review process and, thus, potentially changing our legislative framework," Stott Despoja told delegates at the conference.

The move is at odds with the legislation passed in late 2002 banning therapeutic cloning but allowing limited use of embryonic stem cells to go ahead under the control and guidance of an NHMRC licensing committee. The legislation is up for review in the coming months, with Health Minister Tony Abbott likely to lead the review process.

"This marked change in the Government's position on stem cell research could indicate the growing level of conservatism within Australian politics -- led by the religious right - and needs to be explained," Stott Despoja said.

A survey of public attitudes by the Federal government's biotech agency Biotechnology Australia shows that support for embryonic stem cell research increased from 52 per cent in 2002 to 62 per cent in 2004, but support for human cloning remained very low.

The UN's Sixth Committee (Legal) last week chose to defer its decision on the divisive cloning issue until it resumes session in February, after Italy introduced a declaration to replace the two proposals by the Costa Rica-US led coalition banning all cloning and experimental use of embryonic stem cells, and the opposition led by Belgium, which would ban reproductive cloning but not therapeutic cloning.

The new proposal instead calls for a non-binding statement by the UN Assembly to prohibit attempts to create human life through cloning as well as research intended to achieve that aim.