Equality Tasmania has launched a new campaign calling on the State Government to scrap its conversion practices bill and draft a new version.

Equality Tasmania say their campaign will dispel myths about a ban on conversion practices and encourage Tasmanians to sign an Open Letter to the Government.

Spokesperson Rodney Croome said the government needed to go back to the drawing board.

“The Government’s bill has so many exemptions it will actually encourage conversion practices rather than stop them.”

“Our campaign will reach tens of thousands of Tasmanians with the message that the Government’s bill is worse than useless, needs to be scrapped and a new one written.

“Given the Government isn’t listening to survivors it’s time to take our message to the people.

“I encourage everyone who opposes conversion practices to sign the Open Letter and share the videos on our campaign page.”

Survivors of Tasmanian conversion practices, Bronwyn Larkins, said the government’s proposed legislation had missed the mark.

“The bill offers more protection to conversion practitioners than to those of us who suffered at their hands.

“It mocks the great emotional effort we expended telling our personal stories.

“Tens of thousands of Tasmanians will now have access to my story and the stories of other survivors, which I hope will educate the community about the need for legislation that will actually work.”

Equality Tasmania say their campaign will promote a range of videos on social media in which survivors, doctors, researchers and people of faith explain why conversion practices must be comprehensively banned, not given a green light.

They argue that conversion practices still occur in Tasmania and cause deep harm, consent cannot be given to conversion practices, treatment for young trans and gender diverse people will not be affected by effective conversion legislation and that the state government has not, as promised, implemented the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute’s recommendations for conversion legislation.

The Australian Christian Lobby is also calling for the legislation to be completely scrapped, but for a different set of reasons.

Tasmanian Director of the ACL, Christoper Brohier says there is no evidence that conversion therapy has occurred in Tasmania.

“The Bill is an entirely unnecessary piece of legislation. Since the biased report of the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute was released in May 2022 there has not been one verified case produced by the promoters of this legislation. This is a Bill to fix a non-existent problem.” Brohier said.

““This legislation has the potential to cause actual harm as it will make it harder for vulnerable Tasmanian children who are on a pathway leading to sex change treatment and surgery, resulting in their infertility.”

The lobbyist says the bill will restrict Chistian parents from having important conversations with “kids who are sexually confused” and stop parents from promoting a biblical perspective on sexual conduct.

Christopher Brohier wants the government to order an inquiry into “the treatment of sex confused young people in Tasmania” ahead of the legislation progressing. He says that the government needs to assure parents that the passage of the bill will not “encourage sterilisation of the vulnerable by pushing affirmation therapy.”

The Tasmanian government’s consultation on its draft bill ends on February 16th.

Victoria was the first jurisdiction to introduce legislation against conversion therapy and other practices that aim to suppress sexuality and gender. Queensland has also brought in legislation.

Western Australia’s Attorney General John Quigley has promised similar legislation in Western Australia following the damning report into the Esther Foundation in Perth.

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