The Greens’ bill to ban conversion practices has passed the House of Assembly after two days of debate and a late-night sitting.
The Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill passed its third reading this afternoon and will now go to the Legislative Council. Wednesday night’s debate ran past 2am.
Conversion practices are attempts to change, suppress or eradicate a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
They are already banned in Victoria, the ACT, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia.
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said the party was “so proud” the bill had passed, calling it “a result of years of campaigning from the LGBTIQA+ community”.
“Central to the debate were victim survivors who’ve bravely told their stories and advocates, families and allies of LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians who have spoken up against these devastatingly harmful practices,” she said.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff backed the bill, telling parliament it “could not ignore” the evidence that conversion practices cause harm.
He worked with the Greens on several amendments. They raise the threshold for investigations and require the five-year review to consider freedom of religion, parental rights and the rights of the child.
Labor backed the bill with all 10 of its votes.
Labor leader Josh Willie said the party did not need a conscience vote because “we share the view that conversion practices cause real and lasting harm”.
Liberal MPs had a conscience vote. Ministers Bridget Archer and Roger Jaensch joined the premier in supporting the bill.
Deputy Premier Guy Barnett, Treasurer Eric Abetz, Police Minister Felix Ellis and backbencher Michael Ferguson were among those opposed.
Barnett, who is also attorney-general, called the bill “terribly, terribly flawed”, arguing its definitions were vague and broad.
The house removed a clause that would have made employers criminally liable for offences committed by their staff.
It also passed amendments to remove retrospectivity from the bill.
Woodruff thanked MPs “across the political spectrum who engaged with us in good faith”.
She said the Greens looked forward to working with Legislative Council members “over the coming weeks”.
She also thanked Equality Tasmania’s Rodney Croome, calling him “Tasmania’s relentless advocate for inclusion and LGBTIQA+ justice”.
Croome said cross-party support “sends a strong message to the upper house that this is an uncontroversial and much-needed reform”.
“I understand some people have fears about the loss of religious freedom and parental rights, but the experience interstate shows there’s nothing to fear,” he said.
