Mums and dads could be left with nowhere to go with their child’s life-altering health questions if a Queensland government Bill tabled yesterday becomes law, the Australian Christian Lobby has warned.
Yesterday in parliament, Health Minister Steven Miles tabled a government Bill targeting the nebulous practice of ‘LGBT conversion therapy’ without citing a single instance of it occurring in Queensland.
Under the new law any doctor, health professional or counsellor who fails to toe the gender-fluid line faces a $20,000 fine, 18 months behind bars or both.
“Parents seeking a doctor or counsellor’s help for their young child confused about whether they are a boy or a girl will find their options limited,” ACL Queensland state director and spokesperson for children, Wendy Francis warned, “Some doctors or counsellors will be unable to act in what they earnestly believe is in the child’s best interests or long-term wellbeing, for fear of going to jail. Do we really want to see experienced family doctors dragged away to jail for the long-held beliefs of their patients, if not also themselves?”
“Nobody supports coercion, electric shock therapy and bizarre boot camps which ‘LGBT Conversion Therapy’ allegedly entails,” Mrs Francis added, “But government using police power to enforce a debated view trashes parent’s rights, family beliefs and the strongly held medical and professional opinions of doctors, counsellors and other health professionals.”
“If Queensland becomes the first state to ban ‘LGBT conversion therapy’, there is a risk that bad law could be copied nationally,” Mrs Francis concluded, “It is in the national interest that the Queensland parliament does its job, listens to the community and rejects this political experiment.”
