The WA government has confirmed that allowing people to change their gender to non-binary on official documents will still be included on their overhaul of laws related to birth certificates.

A spokesperson for Attorney General John Quigley has told The West Australian that the previously announced non-binary option will still be part of the reforms.  

“WA’s proposed reforms will take into account the extensive 2018 review and report by the WA Law Reform Commission,” a State Government spokesperson said.

“As announced at the time, the report recommended that the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1998 be amended to provide for the gender classifications of ‘male’, ‘female’ and ‘non-binary’. Having a third option for gender classification would be consistent with the approach taken by the Commonwealth Government in relation to passports and by most other States and Territories.”

The new laws will also allow for teenagers to change their birth certificates if they have parental permission, at what age this will be allowed to occur is not clear.

The reforms stem from a WA Law Reform Commission report that was tabled in parliament in 2018. In 2022 the government announced it would be bringing in reform of the state’s Equal Opportunity Laws and also removing the association WA Gender Recognition Board.

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