The Queensland Liberal National Party (LNP) government announced on January 28 it would stop providing puberty blockers and hormone therapies to young transgender people. The ban applies to new patients under 18 years old in state-run clinics.
It was immediately protested by activists, LGBTI advocates and doctors, with a outside health minister Tim Nicholls鈥 electorate office.
Kamala Emanuel, a Senate candidate for Socialist Alliance, explained in a that puberty blockers prevent permanent changes in young people鈥檚 bodies.
These medical services were previously provided through publicly-funded clinics in Queensland. The decision means that only those with the money will be able to access this medical service through private clinics.
Emanuel said a had found that gender-affirming health care in Queensland had been provided 鈥渁ccording to international guidelines and best practice鈥.
鈥淭here are safeguards in place so that the people who are provided with services are those who need them.鈥
She said the report in fact made the case for increasing funding to these services, not cutting access.
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Greens MP Michael Berkman also criticised the snap decision, The Guardian that the Liberal National Party 鈥渢hinks that 10 years is old enough to go to prison, but that a 17-year-old and their family can鈥檛 decide what health care they need鈥.
鈥淭his is essential treatment for people born intersex and for young people experiencing gender dysphoria,鈥 he said. 鈥淗ormone therapy and puberty blockers save lives.鈥
Nick Yim, Queensland president of the Australian Medical Association, 鈥渢here is a reasonable expectation that government decisions prioritise expert advice over ideological views鈥.
Anna Brown, CEO of Equality Australia, The Guardian that 鈥渢his will be catastrophic for young trans people and their families when the evidence on the benefits of hormone treatments is clear and well established鈥.
鈥淭his move is at odds with the current evidence base, expert consensus, health services in all other Australian states and territories and the majority of clinical guidelines around the world,鈥 she said.
The Guardian also reported that it had 鈥渞epeatedly鈥 sought clarity from the then opposition leader, now Premier, David Crisafulli about the LNP鈥檚 position on the use of puberty blockers before last year鈥檚 election. But his office did not acknowledge or respond to the questions.
Emanuel criticised the LNP government for 鈥渨anting to look like they are protecting children, [but] they鈥檙e actually not protecting children鈥.
She said they are using the right鈥檚 culture war playbook because 鈥渢hey鈥檝e got nothing that they can positively contribute to dealing with the cost of living crisis, dealing with the housing crisis and dealing with the climate crisis which is a big existential threat to the children of the state鈥.
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