Media Release
Thursday December 7th 2023
CALLS FOR TRANS CONSULTATION ON MEDICARE REFORM
National LGBTIQA+ advocacy organisation, Just.Equal Australia, has welcomed news reports the Federal Government is considering adding gender affirming surgeries to Medicare but has called for a broad range of trans and gender Australians to be consulted as part of the process.
According to the ABC, "The federal government will consider an application by the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) to add 21 Medicare items for gender-affirming surgeries, such as chest surgery and genital reconfiguration."
Just.Equal spokesperson, Sally Goldner, said,
"Adding gender-affirming surgeries to Medicare is a very welcome development because it will mean these otherwise costly surgeries are more accessible to those who need them."
"We believe a broad range of trans and gender diverse community voices must be part of this process to ensure an outcome that is driven by, and benefits, the community to the greatest degree possible."
"At the moment, health professionals' voices are being heard, but not necessarily the voices of people most affected."
"It's vital the Government understands we are people with expert knowledge of our own lives, not just a problem to be solved."
Ms Goldner said the apparent lack of transgender community consultation highlights the absence of effective, responsible and transparent liaison between the LGBTIQA+ community and the Federal Government.
"Like some states and territories, the Federal Government should have a permanent LGBTIQA+ health advisory committee with community members appointed through a transparent expression-of-interest process."
"Instead, it has established ad hoc, time-limited, largely unaccountable committees that deal with specific LGBTIQA+ issues and whose members are chosen with no obvious process."
"It's time to set the relationship between the Federal Government and our community on a stronger footing."
For a copy of this statement on the web, click here
For more information contact Sally Goldner on 0407 946 242.
