South Australia has officially passed legislation in Parliament that bans harmful conversion practices, following in the steps of Victoria, ACT and NSW.
The bill, passed with 13 votes to 8 on Tuesday night, has been welcomed by survivors and advocacy organisations, who emphasise that it will save lives.
South Australia officially passes ban on conversion practices
Conversion practices, which seek to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, have long been condemned as abusive, leading to significant mental and physical harm.
Now with legislation passing parliament they will no longer be legal practice in South Australia.
Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown hailed the new law as a critical moment in recognising that LGBTQIA+ people are not “broken or in need of fixing.”
She noted, “The legislation is not perfect, but it’s an important step forward, and it will protect thousands of vulnerable South Australians into the future.”
Survivors have also expressed a sense of healing and validation with the passing of this law.
Megan Barnes, a victim-survivor, stated, “This law is for all the people who feel alone and unsafe right now and have been taught to question who they are.”
The law criminalises conversion practices, making it illegal to engage in them or to transport someone out of South Australia to undergo such practices.
Perpetrators could face up to five years in prison, with fines of up to $15,000. In addition to these criminal penalties, the law offers survivors a civil pathway for redress and allows for reports to be made outside the standard 12-month time limit.
Still more work to be done
This law follows similar moves in states like Victoria, the ACT, and New South Wales. Queensland has restricted conversion practices in health settings, while Western Australia and Tasmania have committed to reforms.
However, Tasmania has been criticised for lagging behind in its efforts.
Equality Tasmania spokesperson Rodney Croome expressed concern that the state risks becoming a haven for conversion practitioners if it does not act soon. He urged Tasmanian lawmakers to prioritise banning conversion practices, citing support from major health bodies, including the Tasmanian branch of the Australian Medical Association.
“We urge Tasmanian law-makers to make banning conversion practices a priority so that our state does not become a haven for conversion practitioners thrown out of the other states” he said in a statement.
Despite this landmark achievement for South Australia, advocates stress that there is more work to be done.
Anna Brown pointed out that while the new legislation marks a positive change, the fact that single instances of conversion practices were not outlawed remains a concern.
However, she affirmed that Equality Australia will continue pushing for stronger protections in the future.
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