Restore Queensland’s gender affirming care

Moments after I was born, a doctor looked at me, made an observation, and determined that I was female. That decision was recorded on my birth certificate, and it aligns with the gender I identify with.

I’ve never felt a disconnect with my body or a sense of being trapped in the wrong one. I haven’t experienced shame or alienation from the physical traits that define me as female.

Because of this, I don’t know firsthand what it feels like to be trans. But over the years, I’ve had the privilege of listening to trans children, their families, and trans adults share their experiences. It’s impossible not to be moved from their experiences before they accessed gender-affirming healthcare: feelings of being stuck in the wrong body, intense self-hatred, debilitating social anxiety, body shame, depression, and hopelessness.

When you take the time to listen, it’s clear that this is not a “phase” or a psychological condition. Many trans kids know from a very young age that their gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. This is a lived reality, not a matter of opinion.

Australia has some of the most comprehensive research on the experiences of LGBTQ+ people. Data from the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS) at La Trobe University reveals the heartbreaking reality for trans people. According to their 2019 surveys, 91% of trans men have experienced suicidal thoughts, and 53% have attempted suicide at some point in their lives. These are not abstract figures—they reflect real lives, lives full of potential, derailed by the crushing weight of discrimination and lack of access to affirming care.

Until yesterday, Queensland’s healthcare system was aligned with national and international best practices, working to reduce these devastating outcomes. But now, the State Government has taken an unprecedented step: pausing the provision of puberty blockers for minors across Queensland while an inquiry into one clinic—the Cairns Sexual Health Service—takes place. This inquiry is set to drag on until 2026.

This move leaves Queensland as an outlier in Australia and has sparked outrage from advocates, including Equality Australia, which has labeled the decision “extreme” and warned of “catastrophic impacts on the health and wellbeing of trans and gender-diverse young people.”

What led to this drastic decision? It stems from a single Public Interest Disclosure (PID) about the practices of the Cairns clinic. We don’t know who filed the complaint or their connection to the clinic. But instead of addressing the issue at the local level—through investigation, oversight, or administrative measures—the Health Minister chose to suspend vital healthcare services for all trans minors statewide.

This is ideological, not evidence-based. In the 17 previous “Part 9” investigations conducted by Queensland Health, no service has ever been entirely suspended during an inquiry. Our healthcare system is built on principles of natural justice and procedural fairness. Our criminal justice system allows those accused of murder to have the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Why have these standards been abandoned for this one case?

The answer perhaps is clearer when you consider the broader political context. Members of the LNP have been campaigning for restrictions on trans healthcare for years, with the “Christian Right” faction pressuring their elected members for a ban on puberty blockers. Now, with one unverified complaint, they have succeeded in leveraging fear and misinformation to impose sweeping restrictions on all trans youth.

The Minister’s comments only deepen the concern. He has stated that the inquiry will focus on “governance arrangements that allowed this to occur,” assuming guilt before the investigation has even begun. He also indicated that the findings from this single inquiry could shape policy for every gender clinic in Queensland—a ludicrous proposition given the decentralized nature of Queensland’s health system and the varying needs of local communities.

This decision flies in the face of existing evidence. A 2022 independent evaluation of the Queensland Children’s Gender Service found no evidence of families being “hurried or coerced” into medical interventions. It made 25 recommendations to improve services, all of which were accepted by the government, alongside a funding boost. Yet, here we are, watching those very services being dismantled under the guise of “protecting children.”

The hypocrisy is staggering. The same LNP that claims children need “protection” from gender-affirming care fast-tracked legislation that will see Queensland children as young as ten locked up for life, arguing they are in fact mature enough to understand the consequences of their actions.

Let’s be clear: transitioning is not a casual or impulsive decision. It is a long, challenging, and deeply personal journey. Regret is exceedingly rare—just 3% of people who transition experience regret, a rate far lower than many elective surgeries, including hip replacements (28% regret rate), cataract surgery (25% regret rate, or even vasectomies (10% regret rate).

This is not about science or evidence. It’s about ideology. The Premier has been elected to govern in a way that is about Queenslanders, not simply acquiescing to a faction of his own political party.

As one of my constituents, Bob, a lifelong Liberal voter, said to me last night: “Can’t they just get on with running the State? Politicians need to stay out of people’s lives.”

Bob’s right. Healthcare is no place for political interference.

The evidence is clear: gender-affirming care saves lives. It’s time for the government to put ideology aside, listen to the research, and restore these essential services for Queensland’s young trans community.

If you have a story to share on this, or would like to join our team in campaigning for the restoration of healthcare services please email cooper@parliament.qld.gov.au