Community Affairs References Committee

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Queensland Senator Pauline Hanson (One Nation), which means it was unsuccessful. There were three rebels in the Liberal Party, who voted "no" against the rest of their party: NSW Senator Andrew Bragg, Tasmanian Senator Richard Colbeck and NSW Senator Maria Kovacic.

Motion text

That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 26 March 2025:

The human cost of experimental child gender treatments in Australia, with particular reference to:

(a) testimonies from individuals who have undergone puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgical interventions, including those who have detransitioned and regret their treatment;

(b) the experiences of families who were pressured, misled or denied the right of consent regarding their child's gender treatment, as has been alleged to have occurred in Queensland at the Cairns Sexual Health Service;

(c) the extent of psychological and medical harm caused by puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, including the lack of proper long-term safety studies;

(d) the role of medical professionals, clinics and activists in promoting and administering these treatments without sufficient oversight or evidence-based safeguards;

(e) the failures of the Australian medical establishment and government agencies to provide balanced, cautious and ethical care in line with the more precautionary approaches now adopted in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland and other nations;

(f) the legal, ethical and medical obligations of the Australian Government to ensure children are not subjected to unproven and harmful medical interventions;

(g) the suppression of dissenting medical and scientific voices who have raised concerns about the gender-affirming treatment model;

(h) the influence of activist groups in shaping public policy, medical guidelines, and education regarding gender treatments;

(i) the need for a national ban on gender-related medical interventions for individuals under the age of 18;

(j) the impact of gender policies on women's rights, including the erosion of female only spaces, the integrity of women's sports and the safety of women in shelters, prisons and other vulnerable settings; and

(k) any other related matters.

Myths and misconceptions

Note that this motion contains several common myths and misconceptions about healthcare for young gender diverse people. If you are interested in learning more about current best practice for treating transgender and non-binary children and adolescents, see the current Australian guidelines [PDF 1.09MB] developed by the The Royal Children’s Hospital and the international Standards of Care published by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH).