Government must act now to ban conversion practices

The state government is dragging its feet on its promise to ban damaging conversion practices in Tasmania.

The Tasmanian Law Reform Institute recommended a ban on conversion practices in May 2022.

The government promised that legislation to ban this abhorrent practice would be introduced by end of this year and they’re running out of time to fulfil this promise.

We urge the government to introduce its promised legislation to parliament this week.

All jurisdictions in Australia either have conversion bans or are committed to it and Tasmania risks being the only jurisdiction that allows conversion.

Unfortunately, conversion practices still happen in Tasmania, and are doing enormous, lifelong harm to people who are subjected to them.

The University of Tasmania 2021 report: Telling us the Story found that five per cent of LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians report being through conversion practices.

Also, people who have been subjected to conversion practices are much more likely to experience PTSD and attempt suicide than other LGBTIQA+ people.

Without legislation to ban these damaging practices in this state, Tasmania runs the risk of attracting conversion practitioners who will establish programs here, as other states move to ban them.

November 16 2023