Parents of transgender and gender diverse children across Tasmania have written to MPs urging them to vote for the Greens' proposed ban on conversion practices. The bill is due to be debated from Wednesday. In a joint letter, twenty-eight parents say transgender Tasmanians continue to face harmful conversion practices. Tasmanian doctors and healthcare workers have also written to Parliament backing the bill. Parents have raised concern that some MPs may move to remove gender identity from the bill, which they say would leave children unprotected.
Twenty-eight parents of transgender and gender diverse children have written to Tasmanian MPs urging them to support a Greens bill banning conversion practices. Parents say the bill is lifesaving and warn against the bill failing or being weakened. The bill is due to be debated in the House of Assembly. It needs 18 votes to pass, and the Greens, Labor and independent Kristie Johnston hold 15. Liberal MPs have a conscience vote, and several have said they will vote against it.
Tasmania's Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2026 is due to be debated in parliament from Wednesday. The Greens bill would ban conduct aimed at changing, suppressing or eradicating a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. Consent would not be a defence under the bill. Labor has said it will support the bill, and the Tasmanian Liberals will allow a conscience vote. The bill needs 18 votes to pass. Equality Tasmania's petition closes on Monday, October 26.
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Tasmania's parliament is set to debate a Greens bill that would ban conversion practices, which aim to change, suppress or eradicate a person's sexual or gender identity. Labor supports the bill, and Liberal MPs have been given a conscience vote. The bill would make intentional conversion practices that cause injury an offence, with the anti-discrimination commissioner overseeing reports. Tasmania is among the last jurisdictions where the practices remain legal, and the bill needs 18 votes to pass the lower house.
More than fifty Tasmanian doctors and healthcare workers have written an open letter supporting the Greens Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2026. The bill would ban attempts to change or suppress a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. Doctor Miranda Hann said conversion practices cause deep harm and that health professionals often treat the damage afterwards. The Tasmanian Liberals have announced a conscience vote on the bill, which is before parliament. Equality Tasmania spokesperson Rodney Croome urged Tasmanians to support the bill.
Equality Tasmania is urging Tasmanians who back a ban on conversion practices to write to their MPs and sign a petition. The group says misinformation and scare campaigns about the bill are growing. Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff introduced the Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2026 in September. The Tasmanian Liberals have said they will allow a conscience vote on the bill. Opponents claim the bill threatens prayer and would criminalise family conversations, but advocate Rodney Croome says those fears are unfounded.