The New South Wales Legislative Assembly passed a bill to criminalise gay conversion therapy after a nightlong parliamentary debate. Image source: sv1ambo, via Wikimedia Commons.
The New South Wales Legislative Assembly passed a bill to criminalise gay conversion therapy after a nightlong parliamentary debate.
The bill was passed with 22 votes in favour and four against at 6am on Friday 22 March.
None of the 15 proposed amendments were taken into account.
Labor proposed the ban on conversion therapy during the run-up to the 2023 state election.
Under the new legislation, it will also be illegal for a person to be taken outside of NSW borders for the purpose of undergoing conversion therapy.
The NSW Anti-Discrimination Board will be authorised to investigate and hold public inquiries about conversion therapy.
Independent member Alex Greenwich posted on X (formerly Twitter) that “NSW wakes up a safer place for LGBTQIA+ people”.
Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory previously outlawed the practice in August 2020, follow by Victoria in November the same year.
South Australia and Tasmania are considering reforms.
The University of NSW describes conversion therapy as a “pseudoscientific practice” that aims to change the sexual orientation and/or gender identity of LGBTQ+ individuals.
Methods include forced medication, confinement, aversion therapy, and rape.
When performed in religious settings, it may also involve prayer and exorcisms.
According to the World Medical Association, conversion therapy contributes to the “false and baseless pathologisation” of LGBTQ+ people and represents “a serious threat to the health and human rights of those subjected to these practices”.
The practice has also been condemned by the Australian Psychological Society.
Survivors have reported experiences of shame, alienation, and suicidal thoughts.
Greens Upper House member Cate Faerhmann said, “it was worth one hell of a night” to outlaw the “cruel and archaic practice”.
NSW’s upper house also voted on changes to the Bail Act, which will make it harder for young people to seek bail for break-and-enter and motor vehicle theft related offenses.
People aged 14 to 18 will require a “high degree of confidence” from police, judges, and magistrates that they will not commit further criminal actions if granted bail.
Labour premier for NSW Chris Minns announced the laws last week and foreclosed the possibility of raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14.
The proposal was widely criticised and described as “punitive”.
Amnesty International released a statement indicating the organisation “holds serious concerns” that the bill would “disproportionately affect First Nations youth”.
Labour member and Sydney’s Inner West council mayor Darcy Byrne said the community is “shocked and appalled that just a few months” after the Yes campaign, “the NSW government is proposing to make it easier to incarcerate Aboriginal children”.
If you need to talk to someone regarding the topics raised in this article, you can contact:
Lifeline 24/7 Crisis Support: 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
