Moira Deeming ‘disgusted’ by Peter Malinauskas call on gender inquiry

Expelled Victorian Lib MP Moira Deeming says she is ‘disgusted’ after SA Premier Peter Malinauskas killed off an attempt to launch a parliamentary inquiry into the treatment of young people with gender dysphoria.

Expelled Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming says SA Labor’s decision to block an inquiry into the treatment of children with gender dysphoria is ‘disgusting’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Ascui

Expelled Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming says she is “disgusted” after South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas killed off an attempt to launch a parliamentary inquiry into the treatment of young people with gender dysphoria.

Some SA Labor MPs were understood to have been in favour of the motion by independent MP Frank Pangallo, but they will be prevented from ­supporting it after caucus opted not to allow a conscience vote – a decision supported by the ­Premier.

The motion’s failure represents the third unsuccessful Australian attempt to launch an inquiry into the “gender affirmation” model of care, after Pauline Hanson, federally, and Ms Deeming in Victoria, failed to win parliamentary support for similar probes.

The thwarted inquiries come despite countries including the UK, Sweden, Norway, Finland and France moving to either ban or heavily restrict the use ­puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones on minors.

“Gender affirmation” remains the default treatment model in Australia, and involves encouraging children who present with gender dysphoria to ­socially and then medically transition, which can involve the prescription of puberty blocker medication from ages 10 to 12, and cross-sex hormones from as early as 14.

Ms Deeming’s motion sought to establish a Victorian inquiry into the “appropriateness of medical affirmation treatment pathways for gender-dysphoric children and adolescents”, but it was voted down, 21 votes to 16, with the ­Coalition and Libertarian Party’s David Limbrick voting in favour, but the Labor government, Greens and Legalise Cannabis party ­opposed.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas in Canberra earlier this week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“I’m disgusted, and I call on Labor voters everywhere to reconsider whether this modern version of Labor still deserves their support,” Ms Deeming said in response to SA Labor’s ­decision. “Children have a right to the very best, evidence-based care, and we don’t have that in ­Australia.

“Even though the rest of the world is moving on and abandoning this affirmation ­approach in line with the evidence that has come to light, Australian doctors and psychiatrists and families don’t have the right to the best care available, and in fact if they attempt to get it, they are deemed bigots and criminals.”

In a move condemned as a “cop-out” by Mr Pangallo, Mr Malinauskas said he supported the caucus decision to block a conscience vote.

“I am not too sure if a parliamentary inquiry that would be highly political in nature and that would only seek to perpetuate the culture wars is the best way to do a proper examination of medical policy,” he said.

“These are questions of science in terms of best practice and medicine as distinct from a political forum for people to prosecute the culture wars which I think people know I’m not particularly keen on.

“I would much rather any sort of examination of this to be done in a methodical policy-based way based on the science and best available medical advice.”

Independent South Australian MP Frank Pangallo’s motion to establish an inquiry into the treatment of young people with gender dysphoria will fail after Labor refused to allow its MPs a conscience vote. Picture NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

In parliament on Wednesday, Ms Deeming asked when a study by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute into the health outcomes of children and adolescents with gender dysphoria would be published.