Health Minister Greg Hunt has ruled out holding a national inquiry into transgender health treatment.

The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that Hunt dismissed the campaign for a national inquiry, saying that he agreed with the recently released response from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians who said that an inquiry could be harmful to vulnerable transgender youth.

Additionally the Health Minister has backed their recommendation that a national set of healthcare standards for transgender youth, paving the way for improvements in services around the country.

“It is important we have a nationally consistent standard of care that is evidence-based and with appropriate safeguards to protect the interests of the patient,” Hunt told The Sunday Age through his spokesman this week.

“In recognition of the risks of further harm to young people, the government does not intend to establish a national inquiry on this matter.”

The declaration comes after months of lobbying from Christian groups, conservative medical collectives and The Australian newspaper.

Last year The Australian reported that Hunt has ordered the Australasian College of Physicians to conduct an inquiry into the issue, but the Ministers office was reluctant to categorise his correspondence to the medical body in the same terms as the newspapers.

The college backed the affirmative care methodology used by Gender Clinic around the country. The minister’s spokesperson said the next step would be to work with experts in the field to make sure the same level of service was available to people around the country.

Dr Michelle Telfer, who heads the Gender Clinic in Melbourne has been a target of criticism from the Murdoch Press over the last year. This weekend she gave a rare interview sharing her journey over the last twelve months.

OIP Staff

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