Dr WOODRUFF question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
The Examiner reported that your Health minister, Guy Barnett, has written to his federal counterpart calling for a national inquiry into gender-affirming care. This news has alarmed and concerned LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians. Equality Tasmania chair Rodney Croome called it an unnecessary move and ‘a platform for prejudice and misinformation against trans and gender-diverse people’. Minister Barnett’s letter is a direct contradiction to the Liberal Party’s commitments during the election campaign. Mr Croome called the letter a broken promise and a betrayal of the LGBTIQA+ community.
Did you know that your Health minister has taken this disturbing and harmful step? Will you show today LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians the support you have so many times promised them and make it clear your government will remove any support for a review of this kind, state or federal?
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the member for her question. The commitment we made at the recent election still stands and I think there has been some licence with the interpretation of the minister’s letter. We will be focused in Tasmania on the things that matter: reducing those waiting lists; ending ramping; investing in frontline services; and ensuring better access to primary healthcare services and GP services. That is what we are focused on when it comes to these matters and it is what the minister for Health is also focusing on as well. That is our clear commitment. We made clear commitments around these matters at the state election and they still stand.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Dr WOODRUFF – A supplementary question, Speaker?
The SPEAKER – I will hear the supplementary from the Leader of the Greens.
Dr WOODRUFF – Thank you, honourable Speaker. The Premier did not answer the question. The Health minister has written a letter calling for a review into gender-affirming care. Premier, will you wind back what your Health minister has done and make sure that no review is called for from the Tasmanian government?
Mr ROCKLIFF – I believe I made it very clear. We will not be engaging in a review as a state government. The federal government will decide and our commitment at the recent election still stands.
Dr Woodruff – Your government is calling for it.
The SPEAKER – The Premier has finished his answer.
