Krazy Krystal's Laboratory

Media Watch

I was really happy to see that the stem cell legislation bill was recently passed in the senate, a bill which will facilitate stem cell research and therapeutic cloning in Australia. This is an issue I've been following for a while - the original 2002 stem cell legislation was reviewed 12 months ago by the Lockhart committee, and the findings were highly favourable in terms of supporting and extending the laws to enable stem cell research. This new bill is the amended legislation that incorporates the recommendations of the Lockhart review committee. One of the sad facts is that Hon John Lockhart, who was the chair of the Legislation Review Committee, died on Friday 13 January 2006. I am really pleased that the the legislation has been passed in the senate and I really hope that the House of Representative vote later this month will also be in favour of the bill.

So then I got thinking about how removed I have become in terms of news and issues at home. I often read the Age online, but not consistently. So I did a bit of reading back and was shocked and dismayed to find the news about the Bali nine drug smugglers who had their sentences increased from either life sentences or 20 years imprisonment to execution upon appeal. I am so upset about this, and I can't believe I didn't already know about it. Now I don't want to get into a debate about the ethics of drug smuggling. I am not in favour of heroin, in fact I think it's evil. However I am also strongly anti-death penalty, in fact I think it's evil. This case makes me sick to the stomach, as these people are being used to send out political statements - why else would a judge turn an appeal against 20 years in jail into a death sentence? It's so far removed from the concept of justice and makes me feel so helpless and angry with the world. I remember what I was like when I was 19. I can confidently say that now, not quite ten years on, I have a very different attitude towards life - in the way i make decisions, the way i interact with people and the things that I want for myself and those I love. I'm not trying to use youth as a defense, but I am saying that the death penalty will not give Matthew Norman or Scott Rush this chance.

With the upcoming Victorian State Election I would really encourage people to think before they vote. Even if you just take an hour or two to google up your local candidates, read their profiles, think about the party they represent. Here is a good place to start. Please think hard about your senate vote too, it is so important to look at how parties give out their preferences! Let's not have another Family First debacle like the disastrous federal senate vote of 2004. I am going to be voting as I have registered as an overseas elector, which is very exciting, ohh.. which reminds me I have to apply for my postal vote.

Stop. Think. Continue. Repeat.

posted by Dr Krystal @ 9:02 pm