[no bill text published] NSW Fines or Up to 5 Years Jail for Negligently Using Change or Suppression Practices

Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2023

Independent Bill

24 Aug 2023: This bill has lapsed and is no longer under discussion.

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Council

Assent

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Topics

consumer protection conversion therapy criminal penalties data collection employment rights healthcare information sharing medical ethics patient rights personal anonymity privacy unfair business practices +7 more

Introduced by: Alex Greenwich MP (IND)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Official page: bill text and explanatory notes

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

Entities are banned from engaging in change or suppression practices.
Individuals face up to 5 years in prison or fines for negligent change or suppression practices that cause injury.
The Board can collect and analyse data regarding the operation of the Act.
The President can ban the disclosure of a person's identity to protect their privacy, rights, or job security.
The President can issue notices forcing people to produce specific documents within a set timeframe.
The President can accept written enforceable undertakings to remedy change or suppression practices after an investigation.
If an employee uses a change or suppression practice, both the employee and their employer are responsible.
Breaking the rules of the Act does not lead to civil or criminal liability unless the Act specifically says so.

News articles and press releases

Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2023

Mr ALEX GREENWICH, Member for Sydney — 2023-08-24

The bill defines change or suppression practices as "practices, sustained efforts and treatments directed at a person with the intention to change or suppress that person’s sexual orientation or gender identity". Of course, there are explicit exclusions for what constitutes a change or suppression practice. Health practitioners who practise according to every other area of health care by using reasonable professional judgement in line with legal, professional and ethical standards, and established standards of care, or who provide genuine client-centred and trauma-informed support to someone discovering their gender, are excluded in recognition that health practitioners may need to facilitate sensitive discovery discussions with patients. Such conversations, grounded in genuine therapeutic intent, not conversion intent, are not change or suppression practices.