Liberal leader Libby Mettam has renewed her commitment to winding back recently passed changes to WA’s Gender Recognition laws and vowed to ban medical treatment for transgender youth.
The Liberal leaders salvo against recent improvements to LGBTIQA+ rights comes on the first day of PrideFEST, ahead of the festival’s official opening this evening, and in the middle of Transgender Awareness Week.
In an opinion piece published in today’s edition of The West Australian, the major sponsor of the annual Pride festival, Mettam said the Cook Labor Government was out of touch for making changes to way people who are transgender can change their official documents.
“West Australians need policies to improve their wellbeing, instead, the Cook Government has prioritised the agendas of the Labor Party’s far-left fringe.” the Liberal leader wrote.
“The Government has prioritised laws to allow adults — and children — to simply change the sex on their birth certificate, to staunchly defend the use of puberty blockers on children, to ensure the Labor brand is protected in an election and to pass and then repeal flawed Aboriginal cultural heritage laws.
Mettam renewed her promise to be the first political leader in Australia to ban the use of puberty blocker medication for young people experiencing gender dysphoria.
“Liberals were only party that opposed the birth certificate laws, and we are committed to restoring integrity to birth certificates and banning the use of puberty blockers on children.” she said.
While Mettam’s opinion piece covered a wide range of issues from health care to public transport and cost of living challenges, on social media she highlighted her commitment to banning the current range of health care to transgender youth as the main point.
Mettam has been advocating for a ban on the current treatment regime for transgender youth since earlier this year, she has not answered requests from parents of transgender youth in her own electorate to discuss the issue.
Writing at OUTinPerth earlier today former federal senator Brian Greig commented that in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s recent win it was likely that Liberal politicians would begin to target the LGBTIQA+ communities, particularly transgender people, in upcoming election campaigns – noting comments federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton made earlier in the week.
Do you need some support?
If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, support and counselling are available from:
QLife: 1800 184 527 / qlife.org.au (Webchat 3pm – midnight)
QLife are a counselling and referral service for LGBTQIA+ people.
DISCHARGED: info@discharged.org.au / discharged.org.au
Discharged is a trans-led support service with peer support groups for trans and gender diverse folks.
Lifeline: 13 11 14 / lifeline.org.au
Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636 / www.beyondblue.org.au
