Australian Christian Lobby lashed for ‘false and damaging claims’ in conversion therapy pamphlets

A conservative Christian lobby group has been criticised for a new letterboxing campaign aimed at convincing Premier Jeremy Rockliff to abandon plans to outlaw so-called conversion therapy.

A conservative Christian lobby group has launched a letterboxing campaign cautioning Premier Jeremy Rockliff against outlawing so-called conversion therapy practices – but it’s been asked to retract “false and damaging claims” made in the pamphlets.

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) has distributed printed material to homes in North-West Tasmania, after Mr Rockliff affirmed his government would move to ban conversion therapy next year.

The pseudoscientific practice involves attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Australian Christian Lobby is letterboxing this flyer in Tasmania. It asks “will your local Liberal fight for mums and dads?” #politaspic.twitter.com/RoqDU6Sh0A

— Monte Bovill (@MonteBovill) December 5, 2022

The ACL’s pamphlets, which feature an image of the Premier, describe the proposed laws as “dangerous”, saying they could “leave mums and dads with no say over their child’s decision to change their gender with chemical treatments and medical procedures”.

“Instead of encouraging a ‘wait and see’ approach, parents, grandparents, and health professionals who raise concerns could face excessive penalties, including criminal charges,” the pamphlet reads.

The ACL goes on to urge Mr Rockliff’s constituents to contact his Devonport electorate office and “ask for his guarantee that he will protect a parent’s right to help their gender-confused kids without fear of penalty or prosecution”.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff.

Claims that parents could be breaking the law under the prospective legislation if they urged caution to children questioning their gender or sexual identity have been debunked.

The state government has committed to implementing the recommendations of a report by the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute (TLRI) relating to conversion therapy practices.

The United Nations Independent Expert on Protection Against Violence and Discrimination has described conversion practices as ‘by their very nature degrading, inhuman and cruel”, adding that they “create a significant risk of torture”.

Rodney Croome, President of Equality Tasmania. Picture: Linda Higginson

Equality Tasmania president Rodney Croome said he had written to the ACL asking it to “retract and apologise for its false and damaging claims”.

“The ACL has resorted to false, fear-based campaigning because it has no argument against the fact that conversion practices cause trauma and have been condemned by all mainstream health bodies,” he said.

Mr Croome implored the Premier to “stick to his guns and not bow to untruths and fear.”

“If Tasmania doesn’t act [on banning conversion therapy] in the new year, we risk becoming a haven for conversion practices as they are progressively banned in the other states,” he said.

A government spokesman said the government’s response to the TLRI report would be “released in due course”.