Family First’s Victorian Upper House candidate Jane Foreman has called on the Allan Labor Government to immediately conduct its long-overdue statutory review of Victoria’s conversion therapy laws, warning that the legislation is harming children and criminalising loving parents.
“The Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Act threatens mums and dads with up to 10 years’ jail simply for trying to protect their child from irreversible medical interventions,” Ms Foreman said.
“Under this law, parents can be punished if they attempt to stop their child being funnelled to an LGBTQA+ gender clinic for puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones or even the removal of healthy breasts.”
The Act required an independent review to commence two years after it began in February 2022. Almost four years on, no review has been commissioned.
“This is not a minor oversight. It is a serious failure of governance,” Ms Foreman said.
“Medical professionals, parents and even the Children’s Court have warned that these laws have created a chilling effect, scaring clinicians away from providing neutral, exploratory therapy for gender-distressed children.”
Ms Foreman said the consequences are devastating: children are being fast-tracked down a single ‘affirming’ pathway while genuine mental health care is stripped away.
“Families are terrified of being reported. Doctors are terrified of being jailed. Children are left without proper support,” she said.
Ms Foreman also reminded Victorians that Labor did not act alone.
“Let’s be clear: the Victorian Liberals supported these laws in the lead-up to the 2022 election. Both major parties are responsible for legislation that puts ideology ahead of children’s welfare and parental rights.”
Family First is calling for the immediate commissioning of the independent review, with public submissions and full transparency.
“Parents should not be treated like criminals for loving their children,” Ms Foreman said. “These laws must be reviewed, amended and brought back into line with medical evidence, parental rights and basic common sense.”
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