Finally NSW catches up with Victoria, Queensland and the ACT. The new legislation will come into effect by late 2025.
NSW parliament has voted to ban LGBTQIA+ conversion practices, with the new legislation expected to take effect within the next 12 months.
The legislation, drafted through consultation with more than 150 stakeholders from health, education, legal and government sectors, as well as LGBTQIA+ community advocates and faith organisations, moves to criminalise formal and informal conversion therapy and suppression practices targeting LGBTQIA+ individuals.
It will also make it illegal for individuals to be taken outside of NSW to undergo conversion therapy.
Inspiration for the bill was drawn from existing legislation banning conversion practices in Victoria, Queensland and the ACT, with NSW Attorney General Michael Daley saying the bill needed to “strike the right balance” in terms of strengthening protections for LGBTQIA+ communities without infringing on religious freedom and practices.
“We carefully considered this legislation, and it was developed thoughtfully following extensive consultation to ensure that it strikes the right balance with legitimate religious and cultural practices,” Mr Daley said.
“It contains important exclusions that make it clear that general conversations around religious beliefs, or how religious beliefs might be reflected in a person’s life, are not conversion practices.
“This includes personal prayer or seeking spiritual guidance, the teachings of a religious leader or expression of a religious belief through sermon.”
