TLRI Report 'Conversion Therapy"

The petition of the undersigned Citizens of Tasmania draws to the attention of the House:

The recently released Tasmanian Law Reform Institute (TLRI) report into conversion practices, including the 16 recommendations, has taken by surprise many parents, health practitioners, counsellors and the teaching profession.

Whilst acknowledging that some consultation has taken place, we are concerned that:

• A great number of people in our community have been left out of the discussion including parents, schoolteachers, counsellors, medical professionals, faith representatives and those from non-English speaking background/ multicultural communities;
• The implementation of the 16 TLRI recommendations will not only restrict parents and medical practitioner's capacity to choose what is in the best interests of their children and patients, but potentially criminalise them and others who seek to assist;
• The report has given little weight to the evidence (in Australia and overseas) of physical and mental harm done to children though transition treatments and has downplayed the globally available evidence of this damage;
• The report recommends the law to set guidelines that would specify which medical professionals can assess and treat conditions like gender dysphoria and what procedures they must use. Parents should be free to choose their preferred specialist and the medical profession should be free to exercise their profession.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to:

1. Assist gender confused children and others by protecting the rights of parents, health practitioners and others as they seek best outcomes; and
2. Support a rigorous and impartial community consultation being conducted prior to the drafting of any legislation, to include discussions with health practitioners, legal experts, religious and ethnic community leaders.