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No to stem-cell research
Government rejects scientists’ arguments
The Australian federal cabinet has decided to ban destructive research involving human embryos created by in vitro fertilization (IVF). The decision rejected the majority opinion issued last year by an all-party parliamentary committee, which would have allowed research on embryos “left over” from IVF.

The Age newspaper reported that the decision followed strong lobbying by the Australia Federation of Right to Life Associations. The paper suggests that the decision may have been influenced by US President George W. Bush’s decision to ban federal funding to scientists who wanted to work with human embryos rather than already developed stem-cell lines.

A major player in the decision was the new Minister for Aging, Kevin Andrews, described by the paper as “a staunch Catholic and social-policy conservative.” Andrews headed the 10-member all-party committee on the issue last year and cast one of the four dissenting votes on the recommendation to allow embryo research. Andrews had previously led the successful campaign to overturn legislation in the Northern Territory which allowed for euthanasia.