Aggregated News

After an eight-year gestation, legislation to control reproductive technology is about to be debated in detail in Parliament.

The Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill establishes a light-handed regulatory regime - compared to some other countries - to control the fast-moving technology.

The bill enjoys wide cross-party support and is due to be debated tomorrow before the third and final reading.

It's a Government bill so Labour MPs will vote for it, and the Greens will support it as well. NZ First will probably support it, but National, Act and United Future are treating it as a conscience vote.

As well as banning cloning for reproductive purposes, the legislation prohibits sex selection - designer babies - except to treat a genetic disorder or disease.

Penalties for breaches are harsh, with jail terms of up to five years or a maximum fine of $200,000.

But instead of specifying a big list of technologies and procedures that are banned, lawmakers have attempted to give the law flexibility to adopt to change by delegating rule-making to a ministerial advisory committee.

The committee will have...