3rd Aug 2023, 11:26 AM – Senate Committees - Community Affairs References Committee; Reference - Gender diverse children and young people

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Queensland Senator Pauline Hanson, which means it failed.

Note that the Liberal Party was split on this motion, with some voting for and others against.

Motion text

(1) That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 16 October 2023:

Treatment options for children and young people with gender dysphoria in Australia, with particular reference to:

(a) whether children are being rushed into gender reassignment treatment, as has been suggested by University of Queensland Law Professor Patrick Parkinson;

(b) whether psychiatrists, such as Dr Jillian Spencer, a senior staff specialist in the Queensland Children's Hospital's consultation liaison psychiatry team, who question the use of puberty blockers without an appropriate mental health assessment, are being silenced;

(c) whether children are being over-diagnosed with gender dysphoria without proper consultation or mental health assessment;

(d) whether Australia should follow the United Kingdom and many European countries in adopting a more cautious approach to the prescription of puberty blocking drugs, amid concerns the evidence base for their efficacy is lacking;

(e) whether the Commonwealth should take a greater oversight and regulatory role in the prescription of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to children, following the admission from the Federal Government that it has no idea how widely the drugs are being prescribed off-label for gender dysphoria; and

(f) any other related matters.

(2) That any hearings held in relation to this inquiry must be held in camera.

Myths and misconceptions

Note that this motion alludes to several common myths and misconceptions about healthcare for young gender diverse people. If you are interested in learning more about current best practice for treating transgender and non-binary children and adolescents (and the evidence this practice is based on), see the Standards of Care published by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH).