New Bans and Oversight for Medical Treatment for Intersex People
Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Topics
health information healthcare regulation intersex medical practitioners medical treatment patient consent treatment plans
Introduced by: Mary-Anne Thomas MP (ALP); The Hon Ingrid Stitt MLC (ALP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Emma Kealy NAT
“I rise today to speak on the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025. I would firstly like to acknowledge the community who have contributed strongly and advocated for changes in regard to supportive legislation to recognisethatthisisnotonlyacomplexareabutalsoaverysmallnumberofpeoplewhoareimpacted by this.”
Georgie Crozier LIB
“I rise to speak to the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025, and I want to acknowledge the work that has gone in to this bill. Firstly, I thank the department and the government for providing information and also the various briefings that were undertaken and provided to the opposition.”
Sarah Mansfield GRN
“I rise to speak on the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025, and the Greens will be supporting this bill. At the outset, can I acknowledge the profound harms that many intersex people and people with innate variations of sex characteristics have experienced as a result of medical interventions and practices.”
Kat Theophanous ALP
“I am really pleased to rise to speak on the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill2025.As thetitlesuggests, the bill relates to people who are born with physical sex characteristics that do not fit typical definitions orunderstandingsof maleorfemalebodies. Thesevariationsareanaturalpartof humandiversityand occur in up to 1.7 per cent of all births.”
Michael Galea ALP
“I am honoured to rise to speak on the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025. Today is a very Thursday19 February2026 Legislative Council 463 important day. Today is a very special day.”
John Pesutto LIB
“I rise to speak on the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025, and I do so recognising the comments made by the leadspeaker for theopposition earlier, who has circulated someamendments in relation to the billbut spoke of the importance of reforms in this field.”
Aiv Puglielli GRN
“I am really pleased to be able to stand heretodayto also speakinsupportof this bill and to add to the comments thathavebeen madeby my Greens colleague Dr Sarah Mansfield in her contribution, and to see changes that will make sure that children and young people who are born with innate variations in sex characteristics will not undergo deferrablemedicalinterventionsuntilsuchatimethattheycanconsenta…”
Gary Maas ALP
“I rise today to speak on the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025 and in doing so say that Labor will always stand up for every member of our community, and that includes people in our intersex community.”
Sheena Watt ALP
“Thank you for the opportunity to rise and make a contribution to the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill2025. At its core this bill is about dignity and agency. It is about the fundamental right of every Victorian, regardless of the body they are born with, to make decisions about their own future and their own body.”
Nina Taylor ALP
“I certainly am very pleased to speak to the Health Safeguardsfor People Bornwith Variationsin Sex Characteristics Bill2025,emphasisingthatelement of health safeguards in particular, when we are talking about how these very important reforms are being handled.”
Georgie Purcell AJP
“I rise to speak in support of the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025. As the title states, the billcreatessafeguardswherethereisaproposalforapersontoundergomedicaltreatmenttoaltertheir sex characteristics in circumstances where they cannot provide informed consent.”
John Berger ALP
“I rise today to speak on the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variationsin Sex Characteristics Bill2025. This billcovers an issue which only affects a very small number of Victorians, but for those who are impacted by its provisions those impacts can be profound.”
Will Fowles IND
“It is my pleasure to make a contribution today around the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025. I want to begin by calling out the fantastic work of so many people in getting this bill all the way from its genesis, which I guess was many, many, many years ago, but particularly from 2021 onwards.”
“I rise today in strong support of the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025. This bill not only represents a long-awaited reform but is a profound and necessary affirmation of dignity, autonomy and human rights for Victorians who have for too long lived without theprotections theydeserve and need.”
Richard Welch LIB
“(1229) Myquestion is to the Treasurer. Jaclyn Symes:I hope it’s better than yesterday’s. Richard WELCH: Well, let’s see. We’ll see. Georgie Crozier: Let’s hope the answer is. Richard WELCH: Yes.”
Chris Crewther LIB
“I rise to speak on the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025. I want to affirm the Liberal and National coalition’ssupportfortheintentofthisbill:toprotectchildrenandindividualswithintersextraitsfrom non-consensual and potentially harmful procedures.”
Jaclyn Symes ALP
“There was a lot in that, Mr Welch. Just to be clear, it appears to be your side that are blaming wages for the cost escalation on – Members interjecting. Jaclyn SYMES:No,no.”
Harriet Shing ALP
“This week I visited the Inkerman Street,St Kilda, towerswith themembersfor Southern Metropolitan John Berger and Ryan Batchelor.”
Mathew Hilakari ALP
“It is a real privilege to rise in this place and make a contribution on the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025, and I say it is a privilege because it is a first for states; it is not a first for every jurisdiction in Australia. But it is a real privilege to stand here and stand amongst people who have been fighting for these changes for so long.”
Evan Mulholland LIB
“(1231) My question is to the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop. Minister, the Rotting from the Top report by eminent integrity expert Geoffrey Watson SC estimates the cost of the Big Build has blown out by a massive $15 billion in rorts. Given this, how can you possibly stand by your half-decade-old business and investment case that claims the SRL will cost a maximumof $34 billion?”
“Ithank Ms Gray-Barberioforherquestion,orperhapsallof thequestionsandstatementsthat are within that. But at the outset let me take this opportunity to acknowledge the Productivity Commission and their work. What it does show is that Victoria is leading the nation in investment in our early childhood services. On that basis, the premise of your actual question is indeed incorrect.”
David Limbrick Liber
“(1234) My question is for the Treasurer. The Treasurer would be aware that the Department of Treasury and Finance has a framework for assessing high-risk projects called the high-value, high-risk assessment framework, which requires the ongoing involvement of DTF and the Treasurer on high-risk projects.”
Melina Bath NAT
“(1235) My question is to the Treasurer. More than five weeks after the devastating Longwood bushfire, three truck drivers who delivered hundreds of bales of fodder to keep surviving stock alive lodged a modest request, a modest reimbursement claim of $4500,andtheystillhavenotreceivedadollar.Victorianssteppedin.”
Jeff Bourman Shoot
“(1236) My question is for the minister representing the Minister for Police in the other place. Minister, firearms law has been a hot topic across Australia sincethe Bonditerroristincident.Onlyonestate,New South Wales,madeanychanges,withthe ACT slavishly following.”
Ryan Batchelor ALP
“(2158) My question is to the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop. Minister, how is the Allan Labor government investing in new facilities in Highettand Cheltenhamthroughthe Suburban Rail Loopproject?Iamprettyexcitedbecauseaworld- class skate park is coming to Highett, all thanks to the SRL project.”
David Davis LIB
“(2162) My matter today for my constituency question is for the Minister for Energy and Resources, and it concerns the large number of high-rise, high-densitydevelopmentsthathavebeensingledoutfor Southern Metropolitanbythegovernment’s plans, stripping awaycouncil controls and stripping awaycommunityinput, for high-rises of up to 16 and 20 storeys insomeplaces.”
Renee Heath LIB
“(2166) A paraplegic constituent of mine contacted me at my office in severe distress. He lives in Monbulk, and he was told that Ambulance Victoria plans to remove evening ambulance coverage from Belgrave and Emerald. For this man and many other vulnerablepeople in the area, this is not justan inconvenience, it is athreat to both their safety and, at terribletimes,theirlife.”
Trung Luu LIB
“(2168) My constituency question is for the Minister for Planning regarding the old Footscray Hospital site, with the new hospital opening yesterday. Victoria has the highest property burden in the nation. It currently leaves 56,234 Victorians awaiting social housing.”
Wendy Lovell LIB
“(2170) My question is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. Whyhas theministernotreleased thefinaldesigns for the High Streetand Urquhart Street intersection in Woodend? I have repeatedly called for the government to make vital safety upgrades to the intersection of High Street and Urquhart Street in Woodend, but the Allan Labor government has failed to show any urgency in starting the work.”
Gaelle Broad NAT
“(2171) My constituency question is for the Minister for Water on behalf of flood-affected residents of Junortoun. Recently I visited local residents who have been badly impacted by floodwaters following increased property development in the area. Among these residents was a 94-year-old lady who woke to ankle-deep water in her home.”
“(2172) My constituency question is on behalf of David and isfor the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop.”