Fed: Bill to stop stem cell research morally bankrupt: Beattie
CANBERRA, April 4 AAP - A private member's bill to block embryonic stem cell researchwould be morally bankrupt, Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said today.
He said stem cell research was already allowed in both Queensland and NSW so neitherstate was relying on template federal legislation, to be discussed at tomorrow's Councilof Australian Governments' (COAG) meeting.
Victoria is pushing for complementary federal and state legislation but Premier SteveBracks has also threatened to go it alone if the Commonwealth refused to back embryonicstem cell research.
"We're not talking about creating embryos specifically for stem cell research, we'retalking about surplus embryos that are left over after IVF," Mr Beattie said on arrivalat Canberra Airport.
"No legislation prevents it, so it's all systems go as far as we're concerned.
"We're either Luddites or we're enlightened, that's the choice here, and these surplusembryos are dying anyway."
He said there was no moral, ethical or logical reason to prevent them being used for research.
Mr Beattie condemned a proposal by new Tasmanian Liberal senator Guy Barnett to putforward a private member's bill aimed at stopping the states engaging in such research,despite his father dying from motor neurone disease and himself suffering adult-onsetdiabetes that his children could inherit.
"I just think it's morally and ethically bankrupt," Mr Beattie said.
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KEYWORD: COAG BEATTIE (WITH STEMCELL)
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