Equality Tasmania says a bill banning conversion practices, tabled in Parliament today, is the state’s best opportunity to end the harmful practices.
The bill, unveiled in July by Tasmanian Greens’ leader, Rosalie Woodruff, and refined after a community consultation, has been called “the most effective in Australia” and will ensure Tasmania catches up with other states and territories that already have bans.
Spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said if the bill is passed by the parliament, Tasmania would have the best laws against conversion therapy in Australia.
“The bill is Tasmania’s best chance to end conversion practices and the harm they inflict.”
“If passed, it will be the most effective conversion law in Australia because it combines the recommendations of the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute, the best features from equivalent laws in states like NSW and Victoria, and feedback from a wide range of stakeholders.”
“We urge MPs to focus on the harm conversion practices inflict when they are considering the bill and to bring Tasmania into line with other states and territories by banning those practices.”
“We’re talking about treatments that don’t work for a condition that doesn’t exist inflicted by people who aren’t qualified on people who will be deeply harmed…what part of that should be lawful?”
Croome said improvements to the bill following the consultation include; a positive duty for organisations to prevent conversion, civil remedies for conversion survivors, explicit protections for asexual and aromantic people, mandatory reporting of conversion practices, consideration of the needs of survivors when reports are made, and extra clarity about what does and does not constitute a conversion practice.
The bill already included key innovations such as a Victorian-style education, prevention and response scheme based in the Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner. As well as a NSW-style exemptions that make it clear religious freedom, parental advice and medical treatment will not be affected unless they are part of a conversion practice.
The bill has a combination of civil and criminal penalties as recommended by the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute.
Rodney Croome said many critics of the bill want it watered down so it is less effective and are not serious about preventing conversion practices.
“In the coming weeks we will see a scare campaign against the bill aimed at weakening its effectiveness.”
“The best argument against the dire predictions of the bill’s critics is that none of their predictions have come to pass in those states and territories that already ban conversion.”
“Our response will be to do what we have always done – support conversion survivors to tell their stories about the harm conversion inflicts.”
Debate on the bill is likely in October or November.
Those states and territories with conversion bans are NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT. WA and NT are yet to act.
