My letter to Michael Hodgman about a proposed therapeutic cloning bill which he is opposing because of his religious views. While it's true I voted Liberal in the last state election, I should confess that it was for hopes of a hung parliament (and I voted Greens 1, Liberals 2, Labor 3, Family first 4). I would never vote Liberal federally. Michael doesn't need to know this :P

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Dear Mr Hodgman,

I am member of your electorate and voted for you in the last state election. I'm unsure if you'll be running again next election, but if so I wanted to know that you've completely lost my vote. I didn't vote for you because of my religious beliefs, indeed I have no religious beliefs.

I read with much horror, your comments about the cloning bill, as if religious views had anything to do with it. I am shocked that you don't care about my religious views at all. I can see many reasons to support or to oppose the cloning bill, but I do not think it is just or fair that my elected representatives make decisions essentially enforcing their religious views on to me. You are not forced to give your eggs or DNA material to the therapeutic cloning process. You are not forced to receive any treatments derived from the process. If your religious views oppose such science, you can choose to have nothing to do with it. Why should I be forced not to be able to take part in the research or reap the benefits of the research because of your religious beliefs? Why can't I make the same choice that you're free to make?

I don't believe being an atheist makes me a bad person; I work for a charity, and give money to it, and many others as well. I'm involved in a number of community activities and volunteer my time to help the community. I pay my taxes, I abide by the law, I'm passionate about this country and this state and I hope one day I can give more back to it. I don't understand how you can you support the suppression of my beliefs solely because of your religious beliefs. What kind of religion do you follow, that not only asks people to behave to a moral code, but also that they enforce that same moral code on everybody, regardless of their culture or religious beliefs?

I've always thought the Liberal party was about liberty and a freedom to choose. A freedom to choose if I belong to a union or not, a freedom to choose if my kids attend a private school or a public school, a freedom to choose where I shop, and who I buy my phones from. It seems that on the question of science, and my freedom to reap the benefits from science if I chose to, or not, if it's against my beliefs, I don't have that choice or that freedom.

I despise the current Labor government. Paul Lennon is the worst Premier of any state that I can ever remember. Next state election I hope that he suffers a defeat, or at least receives a strong indication of the growing opposition to his philosophy on politics. I certainly won't be voting Labor at the top of my vote, but neither will your name be there. I hope your colleagues are less inclined to force their religious views upon me than you are.

Thank you for your time,

Kind Regards,