The bill to legalise stem-cell research has been passed in the NSW Lower House with a margin of 39 votes, where the vote tally was 65 for and 26 against. Christians have expressed their disappointment at the outcome and vowed to press on, as the bill now moves to the NSW Upper House.
In defiance of Cardinal George Pell and Perth's Catholic Archbishop Barry Hickey warning that Catholic politicians could face consequences if they voted for the bill, dozens of MPs voted in favour of the bill.
Prime Minister John Howard said that religious leaders were free to express their view and criticised NSW Labor MPs for about alleged direction from Cardinal Pell when "on a daily basis they are directed by trade union bosses how to vote," reported the Herald Sun.
Sydney Anglican Archbishop, Dr. Peter Jensen acknowledged the difficulty this issue presents to the parliamentarian but said the decision to approve the bill was one that did not give him great joy, reported the Sydneyanglicans.net. He said that in the end we all give account to God.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported the two-day debate within the NSW Lower House was marked with emotion and passion from both sides of the debate as politicians grappled with the mortality of the bill.