After dragging their feet for 18 months, the Liberal Government has finally released a bill that does not go anywhere near what's needed to protect LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians from harmful and dangerous conversion practices.
Conversion practices continue in Tasmania, and are causing profound harm to LGBTIQA+ people. It was very welcome for the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute recommend these practices be banned, and heartening when Premier Jeremy Rockliff committed to a ban.
After 18 months of delay, however, the Liberals have released a draft bill that would only implement three of the 16 TLRI recommendations.
This is deeply disturbing for all those who’ve fought for a ban on conversion practices - not to mention all those in the LGBTIQA+ community who are at risk of harm right now.
It seems the hard hight of the Liberal party room have forced Jeremy Rockliff to weaken his stance on conversion practices. The bill his government has released fails to protect LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians from the profound trauma and pain of these practices.
A person’s sexuality or gender identity is not a mental health condition, but conversion practices tell LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians there is something wrong with them, and they need to be “cured”. This is dangerously prejudiced and harmful, and has no place in our society.
We urge all Tasmanians to make a submission to this draft bill, and demand the Liberals go further, and produce strong legislation to ban conversion practices next year.
