Family First has renewed its call for Governor-General Sam Mostyn to stand down as patron of Equality Australia, following the radical LGBTIQA+ activist group’s condemnation this week of the Northern Territory and Queensland bans on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for children.
The Northern Territory this week joined Queensland in banning these treatments for minors in the public health system after an independent expert review found the evidence base for their use to be “limited” and warned of unknown long-term risks.
Yet Equality Australia has attacked these child-protection measures, accusing governments of cruelty and claiming they have “no place” intervening — even as jurisdictions across Europe and the UK move in the opposite direction.
Family First National Director Lyle Shelton said the Governor-General’s continued patronage of Equality Australia is untenable.
“Equality Australia is not a neutral charity. It is a hard-line political activist organisation advocating for experimental and potentially harmful medical interventions on children,” Mr Shelton said.
“The Governor-General must not lend the prestige of her office to an organisation that attacks governments for protecting children from medical experimentation.”
Equality Australia is headed by Anna Brown, a former same-sex marriage activist who has also been a leading advocate against religious freedom protections, including opposing faith-based protections for religious schools, charities and institutions.
“Ms Brown’s organisation has a clear ideological agenda,” Mr Shelton said.
“It campaigns aggressively against religious freedom while demanding unrestricted access to puberty blockers and hormones for minors — despite mounting international medical caution.”
Mr Shelton said the NT and Queensland decisions reflect a growing recognition that children experiencing gender distress need careful assessment and mental-health support, not irreversible medical pathways driven by ideology.
“The Governor-General is meant to unite Australians and remain above political activism,” he said.
“She cannot do that while serving as patron of an organisation campaigning against child-safety measures and fundamental freedoms.”
Contact details:
