Hon Cory Bernardi MLC has introduced a Bill into the South Australian Parliament that would prohibit the prescription of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to children under the age of 18. This important legislation seeks to protect vulnerable children from irreversible medical interventions that can have lifelong consequences.
Across the world, governments and health authorities are reassessing the use of these treatments for minors. Countries including the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, and Norway have moved away from the routine use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for children, citing concerns about the quality of the evidence, the risks involved, and the long-term impacts on young people.
In South Australia, however, children continue to be prescribed these powerful drugs despite growing international caution. Puberty blockers can interfere with normal physical development, while cross-sex hormones can cause permanent changes, including infertility, sexual dysfunction, and other serious health consequences. Yet many young people are placed on this pathway before they are mature enough to fully understand the lifelong implications of these decisions.
Concerns about the current approach have been raised by doctors, psychologists, parents, former gender clinic patients, and researchers. Many have questioned whether vulnerable children experiencing gender distress are receiving the comprehensive psychological assessment and support they need before being directed towards medical intervention.
Recent developments in Queensland and the Northern Territory have also highlighted these concerns. The Queensland and Northern Territory Governments have paused the prescription of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for new patients under 18 following serious concerns regarding clinical practices.
Children cannot wait years for governments to act. The precautionary principle should apply whenever experimental and potentially irreversible medical interventions are being proposed for minors.
Cory Bernardi’s Bill provides South Australia with an opportunity to put the welfare of children first by ensuring that children are protected from treatments whose long-term safety and effectiveness remain deeply contested.
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What Needs to Be Done
- Support Cory Bernardi’s Bill
The South Australian Parliament should pass Cory Bernardi’s Bill to prohibit the prescription of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to anyone under 18 years of age.
- Conduct an Independent Review of Gender Services
An independent, comprehensive, evidence-based review should examine gender services provided to children and adolescents in South Australia, including the use of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and referral pathways for medical intervention.
- Prioritise Psychological Support
Children experiencing gender distress should receive thorough psychological assessment and support that explores all contributing factors before any consideration of medical intervention.
- Safeguard Parental Rights and Informed Consent
Parents must be fully informed and involved in decisions affecting their children’s health. Legislative safeguards should ensure that parents are not excluded from significant medical decisions involving their children.
How You Can Help
Contact Your Member of Parliament
Write to your local MP and members of the Legislative Council and urge them to support Hon Cory Bernardi MLC’s Bill to protect children from puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.
- To ensure your email is acknowledged and not overlooked, please include your street address and explicitly state that you are a constituent.
