The Australian Christian Lobby today has called on the McGowan Government to ensure that its proposed LGBT conversion laws do not prevent doctors, psychologist and counsellors and faith groups from providing patient led, evidence based, proven therapy for people struggling with their sexual orientation or gender identity.

A fact check of the Australian Christian Lobby’s campaign to protect parental rights has confirmed Tasmanians are right to fear a legislative ban on “conversion practices” planned by the Rockliff Government.

Personal stories of gender dysphoric young people being led onto a pathway of experimental, irreversible and damaging treatments were heard in Tasmania’s parliament on 23 November.

The story of yet another young Australian man falling victim to swift progression through gender affirmation therapy strikes at the heart of the current debate in Tasmania over the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute (TLRI) report which recommends the very treatment that has left Ollie Davies sterilized, and his partner devastated.

Reports of distraught parents facing prosecution under Victorian law for failing to agree to potentially harmful treatments for their children including chest-binding, hormone blockers and sex-change surgery should sound alarm bells for Tasmanian parents. The Tasmanian government is currently considering recommendations from the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute for similar ‘conversion therapy’ legislation.

The news that parents in Victoria are distraught and facing prosecutions because of the Victorian laws which prohibit proper counselling for gender confused children must cause the Tasmanian Government to reject the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute’s recommendations for similar laws in Tasmania.

The WA Equal Opportunity Commission used International Youth Day on 12 August to hold an event at the State Library entitled: Tackling gender identity discrimination against young people.

With 1000 families expected to join the medical negligence lawsuit against the recently shut-down UK Tavistock Gender Clinic, there are renewed calls for Tasmanian MPs to reject any so-called conversion therapy legislation that would mandate the now discredited affirmation therapy model of treating gender dysphoric children.

Following parents, patients and whistleblowers going public on the practice of experimental, non reversible, and damaging treatments for gender dysphoric children such as puberty blockers, cross sex hormones and body altering surgery, the UK National Health Service have shut down the 102 year old Tavistock clinic, until recently thought to be UK’s premier psychiatric clinic.

Aspects of the Queensland Department of Education and Training’s internal guidance document for staff regarding support for gender diverse children fail to pass the ‘Pub Test.’