CANBERRA, August 21, 2002 (LSN.ca) - Embryos harvested and experimented on for stem cell research would be treated no better than laboratory rats, Australian cabinet minister Tony Abbott told Parliament, under fire for being pro-life. “I believe that it’s not necessary for a tadpole to be exactly a frog for those who are concerned with the welfare of frogs to nevertheless be deeply concerned about the fate of tadpoles,” Mr. Abbott said. “At the very least, it seems to me that it cannot be treated with no more respect than a laboratory rat destined to be sacrificed for the sake of science.” Mr. Abbott likened the issue to that of assisted suicide (which is illegal in Australia), noting that deliberately destroying an embryo is akin to giving it a lethal injection. Accused of being a pro-lifer influenced by his Catholic beliefs—as if that were somehow forbidden or illegal—Abbott countered that he is only influenced by the truth. He said he does not support abortion on demand and sees it as a “concession to human frailty” rather than a “badge of liberation.” In his youth, Mr. Abbott and his then 19-year-old girlfriend gave a child up for adoption after deciding against getting married; they refused to kill the unborn child out of convenience. To read Sydney Morning Herald coverage see: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/08/21/1029114127734.html