Christopher Newell asserts that the question of whether Australian scientists will use embryonic or adult stem cells for therapeutic purposes is part of a largely unasked question: What should our biotech futures be, and when will Australians with disability be invited to participate as experts? Newell believes that the 'tragedy' of disability is not disability itself, but the failure by governments to address unmet need and the denial of the human rights of people with disability. Dr Newell is a senior lecturer at the University of Tasmania's School of Medicine, a consultant ethicist and a person with disability. Keyword: Ethics