The vote late Thursday followed an agreement by lawmakers to split the cloning ban component from broader legislation they are considering, which would also legalize controversial research on human embryos.
Pro-lifers happy with the cloning ban are also pleased with lawmakers' decision to split the "Research Involving Embryos and Prohibition of Human Cloning Bill."
The move is a victory for pro-lifers and other opponents of embryonic stem cell research, who are now free to vote against the remaining portion when it is put to a vote in a fortnight's time.
Before the legislation was divided, House of Representatives members opposed to embryonic research faced the invidious choice of voting against it, or against human cloning, but not both. On the other hand, proponents of embryonic research had been reluctant to have the bill divided into two components, recognizing that doing so would strengthen the hand of the opposing camp.
Prime Minister John Howard was himself at first not in favor of splitting the bill, but with a growing number of members pressing for it, he said he had been won over by their arguments.
The House then voted 89-43 to divide the piece of legislation into two parts - one dealing with cloning, the other with embryonic stem cell research. It's reported to be the first time a bill has been split in Australia in 100 years.
Once that decision was made, the cloning ban component was passed unanimously by the House. It now goes to the Senate where it's expected to pass easily.
The ban covers cloning of a human embryo for whatever purpose, including so-called "therapeutic cloning" - pro-lifers prefer to call it "destructive cloning" - that would allow cloning of an embryo solely to provide stem cells.
With the cloning matter out of the way, lawmakers have more time to debate - and be lobbied on - the more contentious embryonic stem cell research provision.
Major parties are allowing their members a rare conscience vote on the legislation, which if passed will allow scientists to harvest stem cells from "spare" embryos created during in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.
Supporters of embryonic research are understood to be in the majority in the House, but the legislation faces an uphill battle in the Senate, where resistance is stronger.
It's been an eventful week in Australia's lower house of parliament, with the pro-embryonic research camp under fire.
The country's leading proponent of embryonic research, Prof. Alan Trounson, earlier admitted having misled lawmakers and the public about hopeful research on rats which he incorrectly said had involved embryonic stem cells.
Trounson, whose lobbying is credited with persuading Prime Minister Howard to drop his early opposition to embryonic stem cell research, said the mistake had been unintentional.
After the admission, Howard told parliament he was taking advice on whether a decision last May to allocate 43.5 million Australian dollars ($24.6 million) to a new stem cell research center headed by Trounson should be reviewed in the light of the "inaccurate representation."
"It is incumbent on people who hold very respected scientific positions in this country to be very careful about the claims they make," the prime minister said.
Trounson is not speaking to the media, after the board of the research center advised him to stop discussing the matter publicly.
Stem cell research has become one of the most pressing worldwide ethical issues of the new century.
Scientists believe the cells, which are essentially the building-blocks of all human tissue, have the potential to provide treatments for a range of degenerative diseases, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, as well as for other conditions and injuries.
The source of the cells is where the controversy lies. Some scientists argue that those taken from human embryos several days' old hold the greatest hope for cures.
Others point to treatments already taking place - some with remarkable results - using "adult" stem cells, taken from sources like the patient's own bone marrow.
Not only are "adult" stem cells the more ethical choice, they argue, but they may also be safer, avoiding problems of rejection by the recipient's body.
In some trials using embryonic stem cells, one in five laboratory animals receiving the cells have developed cancerous tumors.
In the Australian case, supporters of embryonic research point out that unwanted IVF embryos are being allowed to die anyway, so they may as well be used in research that may one day provide important medical treatments.
The premiers of Australia's three most populous states have indicated that, should the federal legislation fail, they will push to have their respective state legislatures legalize embryonic stem cell research in Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales.
Pro-Life Infonet
3. september 2002