Minns Labor Government To Ban Gay Conversion Practices In NSW
Image: NSW Premier Chris Minns and Sydney MP Alex Greenwich. Images: Facebook.
Following the lead of Queensland, Victoria and ACT, NSW’s Labor government is working on its own bill to ban anti-LGBTQI conversion practices in the state. Independent Gay Sydney MP Alex Greenwich who is planning to introduce his omnibus Equality Bill that includes a ban on gay conversion practices said he is ready to work with Chris Minns-led Labor government to bring in an effective law.
“I’m committed to working with the government to achieve as much LGBTIQA+ law reform this term as possible, whether this is through my legislation or theirs,” Greenwich told Star Observer.
“I welcome Minn’s Labor Government reaffirming their commitment to legislate a prohibition on LGBTQ conversion practices,” said the Sydney MP, adding, “I have provided the government with my proposed Prohibition of LGBTQ conversion practices bill to help inform their consultation process, and will soon introduce it to parliament as part of my wider omnibus LGBTIQA+ Equality bill”.
‘Conversion Practices Cause Harm’
Prior to the state elections this year, Greenwich had said that his support for a minority government would depend upon their support for his Equality Bill.
National LGBTQI advocacy group Equality Australia said it was time NSW followed other states to legislate LGBTQI law reforms.
“It’s time to bring NSW into line with other states that are actively exploring ways to end these damaging practices that are not supported by any medical or psychological professional association,” Ghassan Kassisieh, Legal Director of Equality Australia told Star Observer in a statement.
Queensland was the first jurisdiction in Australia in August 2020 to ban gay conversion practices followed by ACT. In February 2021, Victoria became the third jurisdiction to ban so-called conversion therapy. The Victorian law, which covered both health and religious settings, was welcomed by survivors as a “world-leading legislation”. A law to ban gay conversion practices is in the works in Tasmania.
“Practices that seek to change or suppress a person’s sexuality or gender identity cause real and lasting harm,” Kassisieh said.
NSW Forms Working Group On Conversion Practices Law
“Any legislation to end LGBTIQ+ conversion practices will only be effective if it includes all of us, regardless of our sexual orientation or gender identity, and covers health and religious settings. It must also include a civil response scheme to prevent harm from occurring in the first place.”
NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley told Nine Newspapers that the government was working on its own anti-gay conversion practices bill, that would also make it illegal to change or suppress a person who identifies as as trans or gender diverse.
Nine Newspapers reported that a government working group was in the process of holding consultations with LGBTQI groups including, ACON, Equality Australia and the Catholic Church.
Why is the Labor government getting the kudos for this bill when the NSW parliamentary website clearly shows that this is a private members bill with Alex Greenwich (Ind. Sydney) as the member with responsibility for carriage.
Congratulations Alex!
The best that can be said is that the government is not opposing passage of the bill. It seems clear that this government and it religious rump still lack the moral courage to bring on full legal equality in their own right.
Now we need the Greenwich Equality Bill passed before summer. (The Bill lapses Dec. 31 2023)
The baning of conversion therapy should have been done decades ago… The homophobic hetrosexuals in the world need reprogramming mentally.