Leader of The Nationals in the Senate, Ron Boswell, today dismissed suggestions Australian stem cell research scientists could soon ask the federal government for the legislative green light to produce human/animal hybrid embryos.

Senator Boswell said that he was dismayed at reports that laws are likely to be passed in Britain allowing the production of human/animal hybrid embryos for research, and said he would strongly resist any moves to follow this overseas lead in Australian legislation.

“We had this debate last year and there was a resounding ‘no’ to creating human/animal hybrids.

“During the debate on the cloning legislation last year, my warnings that the Lockhart Review had recommended the creation of human/animal hybrids were dismissed by many as inflammatory and hysteria, and yet just 6 months after its passage, we are seeing these first moves toward that outcome,” Senator Boswell said.

“As far as I am concerned, the legislation that we have already goes too far in allowing therapeutic cloning – the creation of clone human embryos for research and destruction.

My opposition to the cloning legislation is well-known,” Senator Boswell said.

“The bottom line is that Australian scientists have to work in the legislative framework that is set by the Parliament.

“I will not sit back and allow the Australian public to be misled as to the need for the creation of human/animal hybrids for stem cell research.

“The future clearly lies in research using adult stem cells, which can be taken from a person for their own use, which don’t raise ethical issues, and which are actually delivering scientifically proven results now, where embryonic stem cell research has failed to deliver,” Senator Boswell said.

ENDS

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