In August 2022, Women Speak Tasmania wrote to Leanne McLean, Tasmania’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, calling for an independent inquiry into the treatment model being used by the Tasmanian Gender Service.
This request followed the high-profile closure of England’s Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service, after an ongoing review by Dr Hillary Cass found the service was “not a safe or viable long-term option”. The Tavistock had been following the same “affirmation-only” treatment model as the Tasmanian Gender Service, which directs children and young people down a path of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and potential surgery.
Concerns Raised by Women Speak Tasmania
In her letter of 18 August 2022, Isla MacGregor, on behalf of Women Speak Tasmania, highlighted the following key issues:
- International caution: Sweden, France, Finland, and most recently England have all pulled back from affirmation-only models due to concerns about safety and lack of evidence.
- Health risks: The treatments promoted under this model can lead to sterility, sexual dysfunction, and long-term health problems — developments most Tasmanians remain unaware of.
- Expert dissent: More than 260 Australian health professionals, including psychiatrists, paediatricians, and professors, have signed letters calling for urgent inquiry and review of current practices.
- Professional standards: The National Association of Practicing Psychiatrists (NAPP) explicitly warns that psychotherapy must not be conflated with “conversion therapy,” and instead recommends a cautious, balanced approach.
- Ethical duty of care: With anti-conversion laws under discussion in Tasmania, it is vital to ensure such laws do not silence legitimate clinical debate or remove safe, evidence-based options for children.
Response from the Commissioner
Despite the urgency of these concerns, the response from the Children’s Commissioner in December 2022 failed to address the substantive issues raised.
In a follow-up letter dated 15 December 2022, Isla MacGregor expressed disappointment:
“I note you did not respond to the information I provided to you in my email of 18th August 2022 and my requests… Your response is profoundly disturbing.”
She further noted that the Commissioner had openly acknowledged “avoiding these issues,” raising questions about whether Tasmania’s peak office for children is fulfilling its mandate to uphold the rights and welfare of children without fear or favour.
Why This Matters
The Children’s Commissioner is entrusted to protect the best interests of children and young people in Tasmania. When faced with international evidence, professional dissent, and growing reports of harm linked to affirmation-only pathways, the Commissioner has a duty to act transparently and ensure the safety of children in the care of state services.
By declining to engage with these issues, the Commissioner risks leaving children vulnerable to experimental and potentially harmful medical practices — while silencing debate under the shadow of proposed anti-conversion legislation.
Our Call
Women Speak Tasmania continues to call for:
- A fully independent inquiry into the Tasmanian Gender Service and its practices.
- Assurance that all children are given safe, cautious, evidence-based care rather than experimental medicalisation.
- Clear acknowledgment that raising questions about child safeguarding must never be mislabelled as “conversion therapy.”
Children’s rights and safety must come first. Tasmania cannot afford to repeat the mistakes that have already led to international scandal and clinical harm elsewhere.