- Protect children.
- Trust families.
- Defend freedom.
That’s where I start when considering the Greens’ proposed law dealing with sex, gender and so-called “conversion practices”. I have serious concerns about the Greens’ proposed 88-page law to control what Tasmanians can and can’t say about sex, gender and transgender issues. The Greens are claiming how fair it is. I believe it is extreme and very risky for our community.
We’ve already seen why we need to guard against radical left-wing laws and policies dealing with young people and the sensitive subjects of sex and gender. The independent Cass Review in the UK raised serious concerns about gender services for children and young people and led to a much-needed overhaul, the Tavistock Clinic being shut down and a swift move away from the use of puberty blockers for children with gender issues.
So I am deeply concerned about the growing social and activist pressure on young people around sex and gender. Children who are questioning themselves need time, love, support and the freedom to work things through.
Parents, families and trusted adults must be free to reassure them, question them and sometimes disagree with them.
That’s one of my biggest concerns with this Bill. At a time when we should be acutely aware and careful about these issues, the Greens want an authoritarian new law that I believe entrenches sex and gender transition while prohibiting Tasmanians from counselling a young person to not do that or to help them detransition back to their genetic, biological sex.
The Greens’ bill is much more than banning what they call harmful conversion practices. For a start, there doesn’t even have to be any harm. And the definition of “conversion practices” is deliberately so broad that I believe it can and will capture ordinary conversations and even prayer.
To stop people being forced or coerced into changing their sexual orientation or gender identity could seem fair. After all, abuse and coercion should never be tolerated.
But hang on – neither should we stop loving families from talking, advising and supporting each other through difficult questions.
Regrettably, this Bill creates much more risk than the Greens are admitting.
They have made the definition of “conversion practices” so broad that it intrudes on basic freedoms Tasmanians take for granted.
Why shouldn’t people be free to ask for help that accords with their own beliefs and goals, and why shouldn’t the people they trust be free to have that conversation with them?
A person who asks a friend, counsellor, youth pastor or priest for support, advice or prayer to live according to their own moral or religious beliefs. Or a detransitioner who regrets changing their gender and wants help to return to living according to their genetic, biological sex.
Prayer. Yes, prayer. (I thought the Greens didn’t believe in prayer?) They say prayer does not “of itself” constitute a conversion practice. A pastoral prayer can absolutely meet their wide definition and, despite the pretence of protection, still be caught.
A brother or sister saying: “Don’t do it. You’re a boy, not a girl. Please don’t destroy or damage your organs.”
Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and youth organisations teaching on sex and gender in ways that can, and I believe will, fall within the Greens’ definition.
Even South Australia’s Labor Government didn’t go anywhere near this far. Their law expressly protects parents discussing and providing guidance to their children about sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual activity and religion. It also expressly protects stating religious teachings and general requirements for religious communities.
Not good enough for the Tasmanian Greens. They’ve gone much further, with an 88-page law that intrudes on family, religious and community life.
The Bill also creates a new ideological obligation – what it calls a “positive duty to eliminate conversion practices”. Think employers, churches, schools, charities and community organisations. This is social engineering to make everyone live, think and speak the way the Greens demand.
Here’s another reason I’m deeply worried: There doesn’t have to be any harm for conduct to break the law. The person involved doesn’t even have to be unhappy or make a complaint!
A person could even be helped by the conversation, be happier and never complain, yet the conversation could still be caught by the new law.
Someone else can report it, and the new Commissioner can start an investigation without any complaint at all.
Consider this: an adult or child asks for help and advice, consents to the conversation, isn’t harmed and doesn’t complain. Someone else can interfere, report and trigger a costly and traumatic legal process.
And what a process it is: A new Commissioner. Investigations. Compulsory information-gathering. Compliance notices. Tribunal proceedings. And criminal offences punishable under Tasmania’s Criminal Code, with the prospect of prison.
For the criminal offences under Part 3, the Bill expressly says: “The consent of a person towards whom a conversion practice is directed is not a defence.”
Saying “they asked me for help and guidance” does not protect a person who thought they were providing welcome assistance in good faith.
I am concerned that the Greens want people to think they are merely trying to stop old-fashioned, harmful and coercive behaviour we hear about in history such as electric shock therapy, sleep deprivation or persistent punishment.
If that were all this Bill did, we would be having a very different debate. But it isn’t.
This Bill uses the force of criminal law to impose a problematic and ideological view of sex and gender on Tasmanians – with potentially bad outcomes for young people, families, faith communities and a liberal democratic society.
Throughout my political career I’ve fought for children to be protected from abuse. I want parents trusted to parent. I want families free to talk honestly with each other. And I stand for Tasmanians being able to freely seek advice, practise their faith and make their choices.
As Liberal Member for Bass, I have a free vote on this and intend to vote against this Bill. Why? Because I love our people, I care deeply about our children and I value our nation’s freedoms. I do not want the Greens to make laws designed to control what people can think, say and do regarding sensitive matters of family life.
How could I in good conscience do any other?
I will certainly work with any MPs who can see these major defects, including MPs who want to support the Bill, to improve and amend it.
If I can, I will support amendments that protect people from genuine abuse while protecting individual choice and basic, fundamental Liberal values and freedoms.
People should be free to live and let live.
I expect the usual noisy reaction. But let’s have a real debate about what is actually written in this Bill. It won’t be possible for anyone to justify this extreme, complex, authoritarian 88-page law to any reasonable Tasmanian.
Please read the Bill, consider what it actually says, and make your own views known to your local MP.
Thank you Michael for this considered, relevant and timely article. I hope people will read it and realise the consequence for families, young people and faith communities if this Bill gets up.
Keep up the good work!
Thank you, Michael. Many of us, including retired health professionals like myself, with over 35 yrs experience in mental health nursing and counselling, have been horrified by the way in which the gender ideology activists have pushed “gender transition” on children, teens and vulnerable adults, despite there being no good evidence that it benefits the recipients’ mental health. In fact, the latest Finnish study shows it drastically worsens psychiatric symptoms and suicidality.
There’s a mountain of evidence (and thousands of traumatised detransitioners and unhappy transitioners) demonstrating the horrendous, lifelong medical consequences of this crackpot medical and psychological craze. That the major medical and psychological professional bodies have been ideologically captured is testament to the power of the activists’ propaganda and also to the fear instilled in individual practitioners who know if they fail to sing from the gender hymn sheet, they can be ostracised, deregistered or even criminalised.
All the harm done is made even more reprehensible now that WPATH has admitted their recommendations, followed by gender clinicians worldwide, were never evidence-based as they had claimed, but instead, constitute mere “opinions”.
It’s a relief to see some brave politicians like yourself at last standing up for sanity and freedom.
The Greens remind me of Don Quixote they sally forth whilst others see signs suggesting caution.
There are many people who once charged ahead on this conversion windmill know they were wrong and they need to be applauded as admitting to being wrong takes courage and displays wisdom.
If someone decides they want to ‘change’ their sex by blockers or surgery the best way I see to settle this issue is to make it illegal to offer such services until they are 25 years old and have had at least two medical doctors and two psychiatrists consult with them. If they then decide to go ahead then so be it BUT if the doctors or psychiatrists disagree then they can’t proceed.
Dear Michael,
Thank you for your well thought out article in response to the Greens proposed Conversion practices bill to be introduced in the Tasmanian Parliament. Gather supporters to oppose this very harmful proposed legislation. and may you have success. Thank you for standing for truth and support for the families and young people and all who seek to help and counsel our precious young people.
So well said Michael. if only our Govt would look at the UK research and seek to understand the damage that has been done and is being done by conversion medication and practices. The children of Australia should not be ruled by ones who have a radical agenda to change male and female…Parents should be allowed to counsel and guide. Its all so very wrong and goes against our Constitution and Judeo Christin values, which are written to protect the family, children and all generations.