New Bill to Implement Lockhart Recommendations

Statement by Senator Kay Patterson about her private members bill introducing a regulatory framework for stem cell research.

New Bill to Implement Lockhart Recommendations

Tuesday, 26 September 2006

“A strong regulatory framework will govern the use of stem cell research to benefit the Australian community and potentially assist in the treatment of serious diseases and medical disorders,” Senator Kay Patterson said today.

Tabling her Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction and the Regulation of Human Embryo Research Amendment Bill 2006 in the Senate today, Senator Kay Patterson called for all sides of the debate to take a sensible approach to discussing the amendments.

Senator Patterson said these amendments will:

· Maintain a strong and effective monitoring and licensing framework to prevent improper and unacceptable practices;
· Continue a range of prohibitions including the ban on reproductive cloning;
· Enable an expansion in medical research to help understand, prevent and treat serious diseases; and
· Enable Australia to maintain its world leading medical research based on a strong ethical framework.

“In 2002 when I took the original Bills through the Senate, I said that any recommendations made by a mandatory review would be considered by Parliament,” Senator Patterson said.

“These amendments have been crafted to implement the recommendations made by the Lockhart Review,” she said.

“Implementing the recommendations of the Lockhart Review, which were made after diligent consideration of extremely sensitive issues, will give due respect to the hard work done by the members of the Review and ensure that similar reviews in the future will be treated with an appropriate degree of respect.

“The science around this issue, and the debate over the findings of the Lockhart Review, are too important to indulge in personal attacks on the credibility of the Committee or blur the issue with misleading information.

“It will be up to the parliament to decide if these recommendations are accepted or rejected. Such decisions must be properly informed and so I sincerely hope all information provided to my colleagues will be factual.

“I encourage everyone to read the Lockhart Review, and the explanatory memorandum accompanying my Bill which also gives reasons for the proposed changes to the existing Acts.

“This is a very important debate and I would urge those engaging in it to respect those with opposing views,” Senator Patterson said.

The Bill and Explanatory Memorandum can be located on the Senate Website http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/whatsnew.htm

Lockhart Report
http://www.lockhartreview.com.au/
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