Thursday, 19 October 2023

 Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:09): I rise to inform the house that no matter what goes on in this or the other place, the Allan Labor government stands with our LGBTIQ+ community. Our trans and gender-diverse kids need our support at this time. Research shows that in Australia more than half of trans young people had self-harmed in the previous year and a shocking 71 per cent have reported suicidal ideation. This is their lived experience. This is the reality of being young and trans, and on this side of the house we stand firmly with our LGBTIQ+ community and we say this is unacceptable.

We have invested to support trans and gender-diverse young people with expanded evidence-based specialist services, and we will continue to do so. I have had the privilege of visiting the Royal Children’s Hospital gender service and hearing directly from young trans people and their families. I was so impressed by the compassion, the care, the experience and the qualifications of the team that is working with our vulnerable young people at one of the world’s leading children’s hospitals. This is life-saving care; it is not a political football. Those opposite, including the member for Hawthorn, have had every opportunity to call out deliberate campaigns of trans hate. Instead, they have fuelled it with their unanimous support –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, under standing orders 118 and 120, the Speaker does have the power when the member on their feet is using words that are objectionable or unparliamentary –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order!

James Newbury: Speaker, I am personally offended by the outrageous slurs. Many members on this side of the house have spoken out very strongly on these issues, and that was outrageous.

Jacinta Allan: On the point of order, Speaker, the minister was being entirely consistent with the standing orders as laid out in the rules that govern this house. I would note that the member for Brighton is quicker to stand up for his own reputation than he is to support trans kids.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Brighton did not ask for a withdrawal.

James Newbury: I ask for a withdrawal from both the minister and the Premier.

The SPEAKER: A withdrawal, please.

Jacinta Allan: I withdraw.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: I withdraw.

The SPEAKER: The minister to continue.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: Thank you, I will continue. Let us be clear about what happened in the other place. The Liberal Party gave their unanimous support to an ill-informed motion led by Mrs Moira Deeming in the other place. We know that this rhetoric hurts. We know it causes harm. The member for Hawthorn has shown once again he is a follower, not a leader. We will stand with trans and gender-diverse young people in our state.