Senator Janet Rice calls on PM to take a stance on conversion therapy

Senator Janet Rice has called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to take a stance on banning gay conversion therapy after the PM said he had no intentions of engaging with the issue.

“Conversion therapies and sexual orientation change efforts are harmful and can have fatal consequences.” Senator Rice said in a statement. “They must be stamped out.”

“The basic premise of conversion therapies and sexual orientation change efforts is that LGBTIQ+ people can and must be changed, rather than being perfect and accepted for who they are.

“All LGBTIQ+ people must be able to practice faith without pressure to change or suppress their sexuality, gender identity or gender expression.” Senator Rice said.

The Greens senator called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to come and take a stance on banning the practices. Senator Rice said so far she is the only parliamentarian to sign the recently released SOCE Survivor Statement, and she believed that all politicians should be putting their name to the statement.

On Friday a petition signed by over 42,000 Australians, calling for laws to be brought in to stop gay conversion therapies and sexual orientation change efforts to be outlawed, was delivered to the Prime Minister.

This morning the Prime Minister said he had no intention of engaging with the issue.

“I’ve never really thought about it to be honest.” Morrison responded. “It’s not an issue I have focused on at all.” Morrison told Melbourne radio station 3AW.

The Prime Minister told host Neil Mitchell that people should just abide by the law and seemed unaware that there were calls for the law to be changed.

“Neil, I think people should make their own choices about their own lives and that’s always been my view. I’ve never been involved in anything like that. I’ve never supported anything like that. Mate, it’s just not an issue for me, and I’m not planning on getting engaged in the issue.” Morrison said.

OIP Staff