Cairns locals have delivered a handmade croc to Health Minister Tim Nicholls, demanding he reinstates trans youth health care.
Trans community members from Cairns have today travelled to Health Minister Tim Nicholls’ office in Clayfield to demand he reinstate trans youth health care and scrap a government initiated review which protesters described as a “sham”.
Along with a crowd of supporters, they delivered a handmade crocodile, along with hundreds of postcards and letters collected from people all over the country who are calling for care to be reinstated immediately.
The craftwork crocodile, a suitably Queenslander protest message, had it’s mouth full as protesters described the government’s approach to transgender healthcare as a “croc of s**t”.
Charlie Collins from the Gimuy Queer Collective and Queensland organiser with the Trans Justice Project said the Minister had been refusing to listen to families and young people impacted by the decision.
“We have come here today to say that Tim Nicholls’ ban on trans youth health care is a croc of s**t.”
“It is a political attack on the rights of trans youth to grow up happy, healthy, and with the freedom to be themselves.” Collins said.
“The Health Minister needs to immediately reinstate care and scrap this sham review.”
“Tim Nicholls has refused to listen to the families and young people impacted by his decision. The fact that we had to travel all the way down here just to have our voices heard is appalling.”
The Liberal Queensland government placed a block on new patients under the age of 18 being admitted to gender treatment programs in 2024 following concern over the operation of a facility in Cairns and has subsequently commissioned a review into youth gender treatments.
The review came on the heels of the government rejecting the recommendations of a previous review that had been completed by the previous Labor government just months earlier.
In January federal Health Minister Mark Butler has announced that he had asked the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to undertake a comprehensive review of the Australian Standards of Care and Treatment Guidelines for Trans and Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents in Australia, and to develop new national guidelines.
The report will deliver interim advice on the use of puberty blocker medication in mid-2025. Despiute the federal review, the Queensland government is forging ahead with its own investigation.
For 17-year-old Matt, a patient of the Cairns Sexual Health Service, receiving gender affirming care is something he describes as being life-changing.
“For me this care has been life-changing. I feel so much healthier and happier and every trans kid I know feels the same way.” Matt said.
“This ban has been hugely distressing for so many young people in our community. A lot of my friends have been left stranded without care and now don’t know where to turn.”
The Queensland Government’s ban has been criticised by human rights groups, peak medical bodies, and was met with nation-wide protests when it was announced early this year.
It was revealed back in May that Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls reportedly only undertook twenty-one minutes of consultation prior to announcing the ban. The bulk of this consultation occurred during the press conference that announced the ban.
The Queensland government’s review has been condemned as a ‘sham’ with advocacy groups pointing to the lack of trans representation or relevant clinical expertise on the review panel.
Charlie Collins said an effective review would also include the people the care is directed at.
“Decisions about our health care should centre the expertise, experience and wellbeing of the families, young people, and clinicians that access and administer this care.”
“We deserve to be involved in the decisions that affect our lives, rights, and health care.” Collins said.
