At mid-morning today, the Conversion Practices Ban Bill 2024 was referred to the Law and Justice Committee for a two month public consultation that would have invited submissions, witnesses and be live-streamed.
A few hours later, Labor and Greens won a vote in the Legislative Council, 21-20, to overturn the referral to the Committee, quashing the opportunity for broader public consultation.
Joshua Rowe, NSW/ACT State Director for the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) said, “There was strong support from members across the NSW Parliament to take this bill to a public inquiry. Members have expressed genuine concern regarding the bill’s protection of ‘gender transition’ therapies at the expense of holistic care.”
Mr. Rowe continued, “There is an abundance of growing evidence that points to the harms caused by puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. It was the Hon John Ruddick’s awareness of the disputed nature of the treatments that led him to move that the bill be taken to an inquiry”.
Mr. Rowe stressed, “The community needs to know that Labor have acted in bad faith, rejecting this inquiry, and rushing the legislation through parliament. This would seem to be all about avoiding ALP brand damage, but it is at the cost of ensuring evidence-based care for people with gender dysphoria.
“Parents, detransitioners, members of the community, and advocacy groups such as the Australian Christian Lobby, Women’s Forum Australia, Christian Schools, along with concerned medical professionals have not been consulted. This bill would not have lived up to thorough public, unbiased, scrutiny”, Mr. Rowe explained.
He concluded, “The government is now set to ram this controversial bill through the Upper House this Thursday which will leave vulnerable sex-confused people without access to a safe and holistic medical care pathway”.
The ACL calls on all Members of Parliament to support an amendment to remove “gender identity” from the Conversion Practices Ban Bill 2024 in the Upper House.
