[JURIST] The Australian Parliament [official website] Wednesday voted to lift restrictions on stem cell research and permit the therapeutic cloning of human embryos. Members of the House of Representatives voted 82-62 in favor of lifting the previous therapeutic cloning ban; the Senate approved the measure [JURIST report] last month. The House vote followed a contentious debate, with Australian Prime Minister John Howard and other Liberal Party leaders expressing opposition to the bill for moral reasons. In August, Howard agreed [JURIST report] to hold a conscience vote [SAVES backgrounder] on the more.