Today, Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles announced that the state government will ‘ban’ conversion practices.

The proposed legislation will seek to impose both fines and/or imprisonment for up to 18 months for offenders. The ban will apply to all health professionals, regardless of whether they are registered or not. 

This is definitely a big step forward and I commend the Queensland state government for moving in the right direction (c’mon NSW, time to step up!).

SOGICE Survivors, The Brave Network and the National Taskforce on the LGBTQA+ Conversion Movement all recommend a broad approach to combatting LGBTQA+ Conversion. Legislation which addresses conversion practices in formal/clinical settings is a good start, however we know that this accounts for just a small percentage of the harm that is occurring.

Conversion practices occur most often in informal settings.

We recommend, amongst other things, implementation of a conversion practices redress scheme and tribunal, prevention of advertising and broadcasting conversion practices messaging, and strategies to intervene in conversion practices disguised as "pastoral care".

We are hoping that the Queensland government will use our recommendations so that we can stop the harm where it is occurring most often.

Chris Csabs