4 April 2025 - Survivors and Equality Australia welcome conversion ban taking effect in NSW
April 4, 2025 – Survivors have welcomed a ban on conversion practices coming into effect in NSW, and paid tribute to those who fought for the reforms, saying it will save countless people from a lifetime of pain.
The Conversion Practices Ban Act (2024) comes into effect on Friday, after the government’s Bill passed with bi-partisan support in March last year.
Trying to change and suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity is now against the law, and people who cause substantial mental or physical harm by doing so face up to five years in prison.
A civil scheme will be administered by Anti-Discrimination NSW, which will investigate and conciliate complaints about conversion practices and deliver information sessions to educate the public about the new law.
Conversion survivor and Equality Australia Senior Advisor, Teddy Cook:
“From today, LGBTQ+ people of all ages across NSW are protected from the scourge of conversion. NSW has made it clear that administering lies to a queer or trans person that they can and should change who they are is against the law.
“These practices strip us of our autonomy, ignore that we know who we are and simply don't work while the negative impacts to our health and wellbeing are clearly established.
“NSW can proudly stand with our communities and loudly declare that LGBTQ+ people don't need fixing, aren't spiritually bereft and certainly aren't broken.”
Conversion survivor, Jeremy Smith:
“On this historic day, after decades of tireless campaigning, I reflect on those we have lost to the harm of conversion practices, who are not here to witness this victory, and to those future lives who will be saved by this legislation.”
Ambassadors & Bridge Builders International (ABBI) CEO, Anthony Venn-Brown, who founded a Yahoo group in 2000 to connect and support conversion survivors which quickly grew to 400 members:
“Their experiences were often the same - wasted years, internalised homophobia, depression, suicidal thoughts and varying degrees of PTSD. The number of lives lost can never be calculated.
“LGBTQA people today are out and proud, loved by their families, contributing to society, and, in some cases, part of faith communities.
“To treat them as unacceptable or in need of “fixing” is not only against religious values but it’s also a violation of their fundamental human right to equality.
“A new law won’t instantly change minds, and we still have much work to do to overcome ignorance and misinformation, which is why the program launched today by the NSW government is a step in the right direction.”
Sydney based conversion practice survivor and co-founder of SOGICE Survivors, Chris Csabs said:
“I went through conversion practices at a church in Sydney when I was just 16 years old and continued trying to change my sexuality for the next seven years.
“My hope is that this legislation is the first step towards ensuring that LGBTQA+ young people in NSW will no longer be subjected to damaging ideology that tells them that they need to change or suppress who they are. They don’t need to be ‘fixed’ because they are not broken.”
Equality Australia CEO, Anna Brown:
“These archaic and harmful practices have no place in modern Australia and we are now calling on the Cook Government to make good on its commitment to ban them in Western Australia. Survivors and community are working towards a ban in Tasmania to prevent untold harm.
“These practices deny the humanity of our communities and cause pain that lasts a lifetime.”
Legislation banning these practices has already been passed in Victoria, the ACT, South Australia and New Zealand. The West Australia has committed to the reforms and Queensland has a ban on conversion practices in health settings.
More information is available at Anti-Discrimination NSW - LGBTQA conversion practices
Media Contact: Emily Mulligan, emily.mulligan@equalityaustralia.org.au 0411 207 633
