Dear Minister Abetz,
Re: Government Funding and Lack of Accountability in Family Planning Tasmania’s “Growing Up Program”
I write on behalf of Women Speak Tasmania to express grave concern over the ongoing public funding of Family Planning Tasmania (FPT) and the organisation’s failure to uphold basic principles of transparency, accountability, and child safeguarding in its school-based program, the Growing Up Program (GUP). We also wish to draw your attention to the mental health risks associated with the government-funded organisation Working It Out, which collaborates with FPT in promoting unscientific “affirmation” practices in Tasmanian schools.
As Treasurer, you are responsible for ensuring that taxpayers’ funds are allocated to programs that are both evidence-based and compliant with Australian law. We are deeply concerned that this is not currently the case.
Family Planning Tasmania receives approximately 50% of its revenue from the Tasmanian Government. With this level of public funding comes a clear obligation to operate transparently and in accordance with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, which require active family participation and full disclosure about programs affecting children.
Yet, parents across the state have reported being denied access to GUP teaching materials, being refused permission slips or parental consent options, and being told that materials are “commercial in confidence.” This refusal directly breaches Principle 3 of the National Safeguarding Principles, which states that:
“Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.”
By funding Family Planning Tasmania without proper oversight, the Tasmanian Government risks breaching its duty of care and exposing itself to legal liability should children suffer psychological or developmental harm as a result of these programs.
Numerous parents have raised concerns about both the content and delivery of the Growing Up Program, including:
- Dehumanising language such as “people with penises” and “people with vulvas” being used instead of “boys” and “girls.”
- Lack of parental access to teaching materials, lesson plans, or scripts.
- Implicit teaching of gender identity ideology to primary school students, despite no evidence this content improves wellbeing.
- Reports from parents that children were discussing explicit sexual content after GUP sessions.
- A complete absence of safeguarding protocols or professional boundaries for educators delivering the program.
At least one Tasmanian school, Collegiate, has now publicly withdrawn from using Family Planning Tasmania’s materials due to parental backlash, instead opting to deliver sex education internally through trained school staff. This demonstrates that the concerns are not isolated or ideological—they are widespread and credible.
FPT’s collaboration with Working It Out compounds the problem. Working It Out advises schools to engage in “social transition” practices for children—allowing changes to names, pronouns, and identities—without medical oversight or parental consent.
Psychiatrist Dr Alison Clayton, speaking at the Gender Healthcare Summit in Adelaide in October, warned that such practices have been wrongly normalised as “best practice” despite the lack of supporting evidence. Dr Clayton cautioned that social transition can entrench identity distress and “act as a form of conversion therapy,” particularly in children who would otherwise grow out of gender-related confusion.
Funding organisations that promote these practices puts the Government in a position of negligence toward children’s mental health and wellbeing.
Under the Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act, all programs delivered to children must uphold their dignity, privacy, and family values. Under the Education Act (Division 4, Section 39), parents have the right to withdraw their children from lessons that conflict with their values.
FPT and the Department of Education have failed to communicate these rights to parents, a serious omission that breaches both state legislation and national safeguarding obligations.
Minister Abetz, it is not sustainable for the Tasmanian Government to continue funding organisations that fail to uphold their legal and ethical responsibilities. We therefore call for the following actions:
- Immediate audit of Family Planning Tasmania’s and Working It Out’s use of public funds.
- Public release of all GUP teaching materials and external consultant contracts.
- Suspension of funding to Family Planning Tasmania pending a full review of program compliance with the National Safeguarding Principles.
- Reform of delivery, ensuring that any future sex education programs are designed and delivered by Department of Education staff or qualified school health professionals.
- Transparency measures, including mandatory parental notification, consent, and access to all classroom materials.
Tasmanian families deserve confidence that their children are being educated safely, respectfully, and transparently. The current situation fails to meet these standards and risks significant reputational and legal consequences for the Tasmanian Government if corrective action is not taken.
We would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss these concerns further.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Elizabeth Caballero
Retired General Practitioner
Director, Women Speak Tasmania