NSW Government bans LGBTQ+ conversion practices

Friday, 22 March 2024

The NSW Labor Government has delivered on a key election commitment and banned controversial LGBTQ+ conversion practices after a bill passed through Parliament on Friday morning.

Conversion practices, which can include so-called “conversion therapy” and suppression practices, are formal or informal practices based on the false ideology that LGBTQ+ people have a ‘disorder’ or require treatment. Evidence shows that conversion practices are dangerous and damaging.

The government made a commitment to banning such practices during the 2023 NSW election campaign, while committing that expressing a belief through sermon, taking offence at religious teachings, and seeking guidance through prayer would not be banned under the legislation.

This is reflected in the new law, with the legislation carefully designed to protect LGBTQ+ people, while acknowledging and respecting longstanding religious and cultural beliefs and practices.

The Department of Communities and Justice and NSW Health consulted extensively with more than 150 stakeholders, including members of the health, education, legal and government sectors, faith and multicultural organisations, and LGBTQ+ community advocates and victim-survivors.

The Government also considered legislation in other jurisdictions where conversion practices are outlawed, including that of Victoria, Queensland, the ACT, New Zealand and Canada.

Minister for Health Ryan Park said:

“These practices are incredibly harmful and have hurt too many people in NSW for too long.

“I am very proud to be part of a government that is delivering on its election commitment to put an end to these damaging practices.

“We have had extensive consultation with a wide range of health stakeholders to ensure this Bill both provides clarity for practitioners and protects vulnerable people.”

Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“We carefully considered this legislation, and it was developed thoughtfully following extensive consultation to ensure that it strikes the right balance with legitimate religious and cultural practices.

“It contains important exclusions that make it clear that general conversations around religious beliefs, or how religious beliefs might be reflected in a person’s life, are not conversion practices. This includes personal prayer or seeking spiritual guidance, the teachings of a religious leader or expression of a religious belief through sermon.

“Similarly, conversations between parents and children, with siblings and the wider family and even friends, are not covered by this new law.“The new law does not intend to ban the teachings of a religious leader or expression of a religious belief through sermon.”

“Everyone deserves to be respected for who they are.

“There is nothing ‘wrong’ with people from the LGBTQ+ community – they are fine just the way they are.

“Thank you to the hard work of LGBTQ+ community advocates, in particular victim survivors, who have worked so hard to bring about this change.”