A recent email sent by Olivia Hogarth, CEO of Working It Out, reveals the real intent behind the Greens’ Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2026.
The email confirms what several Liberal politicians, along with legal and medical experts, have warned: that the Bill will result in non-affirming counselling being treated as a conversion practice.
Dr Caballero said:
“The email falsely claims that ‘conversion practices are happening in Tasmania right now’ through ‘coercive and manipulative tactics disguised as “therapies”, “counselling” or “treatments”.’ Even the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute stated that there is no evidence of current conversion practices happening in Tasmania.
“The WIO message is blatant fearmongering. WIO treats exploratory or non-affirming psychological support for gender distress as equivalent to conversion practice.
“Under the bill, a conversion practice is any practice or conduct directed at a person (consent is irrelevant) on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity for the purpose of changing, suppressing or eradicating it, or inducing them to do so. The inclusion of ‘suppressing’ is broad.
“While the bill contains exemptions for certain registered health services and parental conversations, those exemptions are limited by a purpose test. A clinician or parent who does not immediately affirm a cross-sex identity, or who explores underlying issues such as trauma, autism, same-sex attraction or social contagion, risks complaints from any person and investigation by the proposed Conversion Practices Commissioner.
“Women Speak Tasmania condemns Working It Out, a government-funded agency providing contested affirmative care to vulnerable school students, for distributing false and misleading information.
“Tasmanians are entitled to know what the legislation would actually restrict before it is voted on.
“Again, WST calls for a full Parliamentary Inquiry into the bill’s definitions, exemptions and enforcement powers so that the consequences for clinical practice, parental responsibility, and employer and employee responsibilities can be examined openly.”
ENDS
Media Contact:
Dr Elizabeth Caballero, retired GP
President, Women Speak Tasmania