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Federal vs Queensland state reviews into gender treatments
Labor’s inquiry is drawn out and vague, Queensland’s is quick and decisive
Quick on the heels of the Queensland government announcing a pause on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, along with a clinical review, federal Health Minister Mark Butler has also announced an inquiry into gender health practices.
Queensland were asked to stop their ban and review in light of the federal inquiry but they have declined, saying it will still go ahead.
Some have accused the federal government of trying to take the issue off the table before the election by announcing the inquiry, which won’t report back until 2026.
The federal inquiry was announced but very few details have been revealed.
We want young people and their families to receive the best health care, led by the best available evidence and wrap-around support.
Governments also have a clear responsibility to ensure Australians are receiving the best medical advice and care available.
That responsibility is especially important when it comes to the care of highly vulnerable children and adolescents.
Two weeks ago, I sought advice from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Therapeutic Goods Administration on the current provision of care for trans and gender diverse Australian children and adolescents.
After considering that advice, I have asked the NHMRC to undertake a comprehensive review of the Australian Standards of Care and Treatment Guidelines for Trans and Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents in Australia, and to develop new national guidelines.
The guidelines will be developed in accordance with the NHMRC’s Standards for Guidelines and the international GRADE approach.
The NHMRC will develop the guidelines with an expert committee that includes lived experience and will be informed by public consultation, and international work.
Interim advice on the use of puberty blockers will be completed in the middle of 2026.
The announcement comes on the back of a week where President Trump made several Executive Orders to completely dismantle gender ideology in the US.
With Australia facing a federal election in the coming months, gender ideology will no doubt be an election issue that both parties will try to avoid to their own detriment.
Women’s sex-based rights and child safe-guarding impact the majority of the nation and Australia’s laws are utterly woeful and inadequate in both areas.
Thankfully the Queensland government have refused to be bullied into backing down and will go ahead with the clinical review and put a pause on harmful medical interventions for gender-confused children.
Peter Dutton has urged Queensland to continue its own review.
Queensland is poised to defy the Albanese government’s request to pause its probe into gender transition therapies to make way for a federal review, as Peter Dutton accuses Labor of attempting to “cauterise” the issue ahead of an election.
After federal Health Minister Mark Butler cautioned the Queensland government against continuing with its own probe of hormone therapy, Premier David Crisafulli vowed on Sunday to push ahead with the evidence review of gender dysphoria treatments across the state.
Mr Butler launched the federal probe into transgender treatments for children and teenagers on Friday, revealing he had told Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls it would not be “appropriate” for the state’s review to continue at the same time.
Declaring that the federal review due by mid-next year did not “impact” Queensland’s investigation, Mr Crisafulli said his government’s freeze on hormone therapies for new patients under 18 and broad investigation into gender treatments would continue.
The response was announced last week after an internal investigation into Cairns Sexual Health Service found patients aged between 12 and 18 had been treated outside best practice guidelines.
“We took our decision based on what unfolded in Cairns,” Mr Crisafulli said. “On the back of that, we’ve decided to make sure we do that review, and that we do it in a way that has one factor, and that is making sure that kids are safe – all kids, kids in the program and other kids.
“And we’ve made sure to be very sensitive in the way we discuss that.”
Keep putting pressure on your Members of Parliament, we have a real opportunity to make a difference on this issue in this Federal Election!
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