Women Speak Tasmania recently wrote to Health Minister Guy Barnett, drawing attention to serious concerns about the Tasmanian Gender Service (TGS), its practices, and the lack of transparency—and advocating for an urgent inquiry. Here’s a breakdown of our key points and the minister’s response, which signals a significant step forward.
Key Concerns Raised by WST (5 May 2024)
In our initial letter dated 5 May 2024, we submitted evidence from Right-to-Information (RTI) documents and the Cass Review on Australian Gender Clinics, urging the minister to authorize a parliamentary inquiry into the TGS and its use of puberty blockers:
- Lack of transparency: TGS lacks an annual report and provides no data on monitoring or follow-up care for young patients.
- Off-label use of powerful medications: TGS is prescribing Leuprorelin acetate 30 mg—a drug typically used for conditions like prostate cancer or endometriosis—for puberty suppression, despite no long-term safety data and serious side effects including sterility and sexual dysfunction
- Unreliable clinical guidelines: TGS relies on the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Melbourne Standards and WPATH SOC 8 for care guidance—both of which scored extremely low in key metrics in the Cass Review:
- RCH: 19/100 for rigour; 14/100 for editorial independence
- WPATH: 35/100 for rigour; 39/100 for independence
- RCH: 19/100 for rigour; 14/100 for editorial independence
These issues, we stressed, raise significant questions about patient safety, governance, and the clinical foundations of gender treatment in the state.
Minister Barnett’s Prompt and Serious Response (13 June 2024)
In reply dated 13 June 2024, Minister Barnett acknowledged the prioritized safety of Tasmanian children and the need for rigorous patient safety data and clinical governance. He noted the poor Cass Review ratings for both RCH and WPATH guidelines and confirmed that the TGS continues to prescribe off-label puberty blockers with no long-term safety data—as recently restricted in the UK.
Notably, Minister Barnett became the first Australian state health minister to publicly back a Commonwealth-led national inquiry into gender clinics, urging his federal counterpart—Federal Health Minister Mark Butler—to consider such a move.
Why This Matters
- A culture of experimentation, not evidence: The TGS’s use of puberty blockers off-label, without transparent monitoring and with poor evidence-based guidelines, poses a serious risk to young patients.
- Federal leadership is critical: A national inquiry can ensure all states are held to evidence-based, safe standards—rather than fragmented, politically influenced approaches.
- Tasmania is leading the charge: Minister Barnett’s support marks a rare and essential breakthrough in responsible governance for paediatric gender care.
What Comes Next?
Women Speak Tasmania remains committed to advancing this advocacy. We will continue to press for:
- A parliamentary or independent inquiry into the clinical governance of TGS and other gender clinics.
- An immediate review and pause on off-label puberty blocker use in minors.
- Implementation of the Cass Review’s recommendations, including reliance on multidisciplinary, mental health–focused care.
Our focus remains unwavering: safeguarding children’s welfare and ensuring transparent, evidence-based clinical care across all Australian jurisdictions.