Media Release
Saturday October 17th 2026
Tassie doctors and health workers back conversion ban bill
Over 50 Tasmanian doctors and other health practitioners have signed a statement in support of the state’s proposed ban on conversion practices.
The statement has been sent to all Tasmanian MPs and comes ahead of debate on the Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill expected at the end of the month.
The statement is attached as verification. We ask that you do not publish the names of those who have signed to ensure personal safety.
Quotes from statement organiser, Dr Miranda Hann, and Equality Tasmania spokesperson, Rodney Croome, are below.
The statement covers
- the harm caused by conversion practices
- how these practices discredit legitimate health care
- why it's impossible to give informed consent to conversion practices
- the fact that legislation won’t change the treatment of young people with gender issues
- the fact that there have been no problems for health practitioners interstate
Quotes attributable to Dr Hann:
"Doctors and other health practitioners strongly support the conversion prohibition bill because conversion practices inflict deep harm, and often we are the ones who have to pick up the pieces."
"Research shows 1 in 20 LGBTQIA+ Tasmanians have been through formal conversion practices and survivors of these practices are 3 to 4 times more likely to have post traumatic stress disorder and to attempt suicide."
"We’re also concerned because conversion practices are carried out by people without appropriate qualifications, are not consistent with best practice guidelines, and cause negative health outcomes with lasting impact on individuals physical andmental wellbeing. Allowing conversion to continue reflects badly on legitimate health care."
"As health practitioners we understand the importance of informed consent and believe it is not possible to give informed consent to conversion practices because the damage these practices cause, their futility and the practitioner’s lack of qualifications are never disclosed to those undertaking them."
"Our statement also shows the health practitioners reject the fear mongering about this bill, especially about healthpractitioners not being able to explore different options when treating young people with gender issues."
"The existing clinical guidelines for healthcare providers are clear and the bill’s provisions will not change those guidelines in any way. It also will not affect doctors ability to ethically decline to care for patients, by referring that person on to another healthcare providers (other examples of this are with abortion care or voluntary assisted dying, healthcare providers refer on to someone else who works in these spaces)."
"Health practitioners have not been put in a difficult position by conversion legislation interstate and won’t be in Tasmania either."
Quotes attributable to Mr Croome:
"We welcome support for the bill from so many Tasmanian health care providers."
"It is a reminder that the bill will improve mental health outcomes for Tasmanians and not have all the negative impacts the bill’s opponents predict."
"I urge Tasmanians to listen to the experts and get behind this landmark bill. It is the best chance we have had in a decade to ban practices condemned by the AMA and the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute, and described as “torture” by the UN."
"The health practitioners who have signed the statement are firmly in-line with mainstream opinion in the health professions. Every single reputable health organisation that submitted to the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute inquiry into this issue agreed conversion must be prohibited."
“Two ways supporters of the bill can show their support are to sign our e-petition on the Tasmanian Parliament website, sponsored by Kristie Johnston and to send a personalised email to Tasmanian MPs."
Equality Tasmania urges supporters of a conversion ban to take the following two actions:
For a copy of this statement on the web, click here
For more information contact Miranda Hann on 0405 509 204, or Equality Tasmania representatives Warren Ferrari on 0455 744 436 or Rodney Croome via sms 0409 010 668.
