Category: Submissions
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Family Violence Reforms Bill 2026
Women Speak Tasmania has made a submission to the Tasmanian Department of Justice on the Family Violence Reforms Bill 2026, with particular focus on the proposed criminal offence of coercive control. What is coercive control? Coercive control describes a pattern of behaviour used to dominate, control or restrict another person. It can include intimidation, threats,…
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Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2026: Why WST is calling for a Parliamentary Inquiry
Women Speak Tasmania has released its 16-page analysis of the Tasmanian Greens’ Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2026. Women Speak Tasmania supports protection from coercive, abusive and degrading practices directed at a person because of their sexual orientation. The history of attempts to shame, punish or forcibly alter same-sex attraction provides a legitimate basis for legal…
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Greens’ Conversion Practices Bill 2026: Our Position
The Tasmanian Greens have released a consultation draft of the Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2026. The Bill proposes to ban practices that seek to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. It creates new criminal offences, gives significant powers to the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, and allows any person to make a report. Our…
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Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion
Women Speak Tasmania has lodged a submission to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion under Term of Reference (d), which examines ways to strengthen social cohesion in Australia and counter ideologically and religiously motivated extremism. Our submission argues that social cohesion depends on clear, proportionate, and equal legal protections applied consistently across all…
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Tasmanian Mental Health Strategy – Rethink and Beyond (2026–2031)
The Tasmanian Government is currently developing the next Tasmanian Mental Health Strategy – Rethink and Beyond (2026–2031). Women Speak Tasmania has made a formal submission to this important consultation. Our submission is based directly on the AAWAA UN OHCHR submission on mental health and human rights (October 2024) and on Tasmania-specific statistics, particularly around male…
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Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security – Draft: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026
1. Introduction Women Speak Tasmania (WST) welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (the Committee) regarding the Exposure Draft of the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026. WST is a volunteer-led, non-partisan women’s organisation based in Tasmania. We advocate for the protection of women’s sex-based…
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Reforming the Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 to Restore Sex-Based Protections for Women and Girls
Submission to the Tasmania Attorney General Guy Barnett on 15 December 2025 1. Introduction Women Speak Tasmania (WST) welcomes the opportunity to provide this submission regarding urgent reforms to the Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (Tasmania) (“the Act”). WST is a community organisation committed to safeguarding the rights, safety, and dignity of women and girls in Tasmania. Our…
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Department of State Growth: Tasmanian Women and Girls Sport Strategy 2025–2032 “She Moves. She Leads. She Belongs”
Women Speak Tasmania welcomes the Tasmanian Government’s commitment to increasing participation and leadership opportunities for women and girls in sport. However, we are deeply concerned that the draft strategy, as written, risks undermining the very group it seeks to support — females. Our submission draws on international and domestic legal frameworks, including: Key Concerns with…
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Australian Feminists Unite for Shadow Report to the United Nations Human Rights Council
Our coalition of independent feminist organisations has submitted its shadow report to the United Nations Human Rights Council as part of Australia’s fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR). In doing so we warn that recent laws and policies are undermining women’s sex-based rights, breaching obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination…
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Feminist Groups Demand a Voice in the ALRC’s Review of Surrogacy Laws
As members of a coalition of independent feminist organisations from across Australia, we have jointly submitted our response to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) for its review of surrogacy laws. Our position is unequivocal: all forms of surrogacy constitute sex-based violence against women and girls and perpetuate systemic exploitation, and we maintain that only a universal…