Australia: New conversion therapy laws, harm to LGBT vs freedom of speech
Three attempts at legislation to ban “conversion therapy” are in process in Victoria, Queensland and the ACT. While Queensland’s draft bill has struck trouble in a parliamentary committee, Victoria’s Premier, Daniel Andrews, has promised to “drag these practices from the dark ages and into the brightest of lights”. The exact form of any new laws is of critical importance, both to conservative Christians and those lobbying for the new laws. The possibility of criminal sanctions for referring people to, or practicing, “conversion therapy” on LGBT people has been raised by activists Nathan Despott and Chris Csabs in the Sydney Star Observer. "Sexual Orientation Change Efforts" opposed by new movement The prayer puzzle: will 'conversion therapy' laws ban Christian teaching? ‘Praying for gay celibacy' could be banned A common definition of conversion therapy is “any practice or treatment that seeks to change, suppress or eliminate an individual’s sex