Senator Pauline Hanson’s latest attempt to establish a parliamentary inquiry into the treatment of adolescents who experience gender dysphoria has failed.
On Wednesday the One Nation leader put forward a motion calling for the Community Affairs References Committee asking them to look into a range of issues relating to transgender health care.
Senator Hanson’s motion lists investigation into the adequacy of puberty blocker medication as a treatment option for people under the age of 18 experiencing gender dysphoria, and if information from Australian hospitals relating to the brain development, bone mineral density, future fertility, sexual function, mental health outcomes and future fertility is accessible.
The inquiry would also look into if Australia’s current practices in treating young people experiencing gender dysphoria are ‘best practice’ when compared to the current policies of nation’s which have made restrictions on the use of medications of this type, listing England, Finland, the Netherlands, and Norway as places that have “revisited their stance on gender-affirming care”.
One Nation have failed to get support for similar motions on three previous occasions, but Senator Hanson said the senate needed to revisit the issue in the wake of the recent announcement from England’s National Health Service that they would stop prescribing puberty blockers for adolescents outside of the realm of clinical trials.
It was voted down, 30 -25 with the combined numbers of Labor, The Greens and independent MPs David Pocock and Lidia Thorpe. Moderate Liberal MPs, some Nationals and Jackie Lambie members absent from the vote. United Australia senator Ralph Babet sided with One Nation.
During the counting of the votes Senator Hanson said the result was “an absolute disgrace”, drawing a swift rebuke from Senator Thorpe who made a comment which was later withdrawn. Senate President Sue Lines stepped in to remind the MPs the counting of votes should be completed in silence.
OIP Staff
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