Shadow Attorney General Ella Haddad has welcomed the release of a Tasmania Law Reform Institute report throwing a spotlight on the damaging practice of conversion therapy.
The report has found that sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) conversion practices are demeaning and highly damaging to the LGBTQI community and multiple jurisdictions have already banned or are in the process of banning them.
"Conversion therapy has caused unspeakable damage for generations and I welcome the TLRI research which is the first step toward change," Ms Haddad said.
"I encourage the government and the Attorney General to study this research and take it on board.
"This is a practice which was once undertaken publicly but now it is much more hidden which makes it much more dangerous.
"Conversion therapy treats LGBTQI as a 'disorder' which is nonsense but, despite that, it is still taking place in Australia hidden behind veils of 'counselling' which is not delivered in a medical setting.
"The harm it causes is insidious making people feel they are broken or unnatural which, especially at a young age, can lead to permanent damage.
"Other states have taken strong measures to outlaw the practice - Queensland and the ACT have legislated for SOGI practices and Victoria is preparing to ban them.
"This research by the Law Reform Institute will be an enormously important step in Tasmania toward addressing the issue here and I encourage anyone who has been exposed to this practice here - or has evidence of it taking place - to make a submission to the TLRI."
Ella Haddad MP
Shadow Attorney General
