NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has backed a ban on ‘gay conversion therapy’ in the state after first declining to comment on the subject.
On the official opening day of Sydney’s World Pride festival, the premier’s commitment represents a significant victory for LGBTIQ people in NSW. It comes just days after Opposition Leader Chris Minns made a comparable pledge.
The practice is still permitted in NSW even though similar initiatives—which have long been shown to be ineffective—have already been outlawed in Victoria, the ACT, and Queensland, and legislation is currently being considered in Western Australia.
It has long been known that these “therapies” have negative, and frequently extremely traumatic, repercussions on LGBT Australians.
Many people who were forced to the procedure because of social, familial, or religious constraints have described how it left them with severe sadness, identity problems, and life-long trauma.
Suicides that occurred after a person tried the “treatment” are also not uncommon.
According to Perrottet, when the parliament reconvenes, “my government will provide in-principle support for legislation that ends any damaging activities.”
The legislative expression and impact of such laws will be carefully considered as we work through this complex issue with our parliamentary partners.
The Reproductive Healthcare Reform Bill 2019 is introduced in the Legislative Assembly by Sydney, New South Wales, representative Alex Greenwich.
Influential independent MP Alex Greenwich, who made clear to both the Liberal and Labor parties that a change in the law would be a critical need for his support in a minority administration, made a significant push for the backing.
The backing of either major party to outlaw conversion techniques in NSW was lacking a week ago, according to Greenwich.
And now, Greenwich continued, “we have the support of both leaders to create a pathway to stopping these practices in NSW.
On Sunday, Minns stated that there would be no place for gay conversion therapy in 2023.
Conversion therapy is a harmful and risky technique, and it has no place in NSW, he declared.
“We shouldn’t have a system where kids are taught they’re broken and need to be fixed,” said the author.
The national debate is happening as WorldPride 2023 formally begins today.
Around 500,000 people are expected to attend the event, bringing hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy.
It’s expected to surpass the Olympic Games in 2000 as the biggest event to take place in Sydney.
