Liberals to back Deeming motion for inquiry into gender-affirming care

The state opposition will back a push from expelled Liberal MP Moira Deeming to set up an inquiry into gender-affirming care for children, though it is unlikely to attract the backing from progressive crossbench parties that it needs to succeed.

The decision to support the motion averts a potential split within the Victorian Liberals, and came just hours after Deeming took a swipe at Opposition Leader John Pesutto during an event she hosted at parliament titled “Why Can’t Women Talk About Sex?”

Moira Deeming now sits on the crossbench as an independent. Credit: Joe Armao

The function advertised itself as “addressing the war on women who speak out on sex-based rights” and featured guest speakers including Katherine Deves, a federal Liberal candidate who made headlines at the 2022 election for her views against trans women participating in women’s sport, and radical feminist campaigner Angie Jones.

All three women were at a Let Women Speak rally on the steps of parliament in March when it was gate-crashed by neo-Nazis. Pesutto’s comments after the event prompted Deeming to threaten legal action against him, and he later succeeded in expelling her from the party room.

Deeming, who is said to be still in discussions with Pesutto over legal action, also hinted at the ongoing saga with the opposition leader when speaking at the event.

In a reference to her frustration at being linked to the neo-Nazis who showed up uninvited at the March really, she told those in the room that their attendance would be publicised as a “tacit endorsement” of every speaker’s opinion.

“If you lose your job, get vilified … threatened, humiliated, degraded, bullied because of things that other people do while you are here in this building, you’ve only got yourself to blame,” Deeming said.

Debates about transgender rights have caused ructions in among political parties, highlighting a split between conservative and moderate groups within the Liberals and exposing divisions within the Greens.

However, The Age has confirmed that the Liberals will not oppose Deeming’s upper house motion, avoiding the possibility of MPs from the same party opposing each other.

Four MPs, speaking on the condition of anonymity to detail private discussions, said this was partly because the motion had been worded carefully.

Supporters of Deeming yell “shame” at John Pesutto during the Liberal Party’s state conference in Bendigo in May.Credit: Penny Stephens

Still, it is not expected to be supported by Labor, the Greens, Legalise Cannabis or the Animal Justice Party – meaning it will not have the votes needed to pass.

Guests at Tuesday’s function at parliament were encouraged to follow Deeming’s motion when it goes to a vote on Wednesday and to lobby their local members to support it.

It calls on the parliament to recognise that “medical affirmation of gender dysphoric children and adolescents is currently one of the most controversial areas of medicine” and that there was not a consensus about the process.

If successful, it would require a parliamentary committee to investigate whether this type of treatment was appropriate for children and adolescents.

Gender-affirming care can refer to a range of medical or therapeutic practices that support a person embracing a different gender identity to what they were born with. Major procedures such as surgery or hormone therapy cannot be approved without parental consent or a Family Court order, but critics want tougher regulations or a total ban on these and other treatments for anyone under 18.

Speaking at Deeming’s event on Tuesday, western Victorian Liberal MP Bev McArthur said she hoped the motion would secure enough crossbench support to pass. She has sponsored a petition calling for a similar inquiry to the one outlined in the motion.

“I don’t know where the government will be, if they’re sensible, they will stay very quiet and let it go through on the voices,” McArthur said, referring to a process in which motions can pass without requiring a full vote.

Victorian Greens health spokeswoman Dr Sarah Mansfield said that evidence showed supportive gender-affirming care during childhood and adolescence reduced harm for trans people.

“The right to access to gender-affirming care is supported by all major medical bodies in Australia and the World Health Organisation,” she said.

“However, many young Victorians face significant barriers in accessing gender-affirming care, and the Greens will continue to push to ensure all young people can access the care they need.”

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