Supreme Court hearing begins challenging transgender hormone therapy ban for children - Australia

[FeralWoman]

A mother is challenging the Queensland state government’s ban on transgender hormone therapy for under 18s. The Supreme Court hearing began today. It is a closed court hearing to maintain the privacy of the child. The mother can’t be identified due to child privacy laws.

The ban only applies to patients in the state public health system. Patients in the private system can still receive transgender hormone therapy. Not sure why. Possibly because the state doesn’t fund the private system. The federal government funds Medicare rebates for the private system. The public system is controlled by each state government.

Separate reviews of transgender hormone therapy for children are underway by both the Queensland state government and the Australian federal government. The Queensland review is due at the end of November. I’m not sure when the federal review is due. The federal government tried to get Queensland to drop their review but they declined. Different political parties are in power for each. Queensland has the Liberal National Party (LNP) in power. Despite their name they aren’t liberal. They’re conservative and right wing. The Australian Labor Party (ALP) is in power federally. They’re liberal but much more towards central these days rather than the left.

Background on the case:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-07/qld-puberty-blocker-freeze-challenged-in-supreme-court/105263204

Official document with reasons for the ban:
https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Tabled-Papers/docs/5825t0606/5825t606.pdf

Queensland Human Rights Commission (QHRC) document about paediatric hormone therapy:
https://www.qhrc.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/word_doc/0005/55346/Review-of-Stage-1-and-Stage-2-hormone-therapies-in-Queenslands-public-paediatrics-gender-services.docx

Not much in the mainstream news so far. I’ve found this. It’s pretty comprehensive.
https://qnews.com.au/community-rally-in-support-of-mum-fighting-trans-puberty-blocker-ban/

I’m worried that the court will rule in favour of the mother and open up hormone therapy again. Vulnerable children will then be put on the path to transition again and having their health damaged.

I'm not able to read much because I'm on the move and just have my phone, I didn't even know Australia, or a part of it, had banned PB's. What little I can read from supporting docs, it was done for medical reasons, the woman appealing it would have to have medical reasons to override the ban surely, hopefully, 🤞

Judge has reserved his decision and hopes to deliver it by the end of next week.

The argument is that the director general of Queensland Health didn’t conduct a thorough enough consultation before issuing the ban directive and misused his power.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-22/queensland-court-reserves-decision-on-puberty-blocker-ban/105923126

Thanks @FeralWoman.

Well, between the NT Chief Minister and that father winning his case recently, I might just have a squeak of hope.

And by meaningful consultation, they mean nobody asked the 'trans' I suppose. 😠

@TheSandgroper What case was there that a father won?

@FeralWoman https://www.binary.org.au/australian-judge-rules-against-puberty-blockers

@TheSandgroper I remember that one now. The judge had a lot of great points in the judgement.

Daily Mail has picked up the story.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15218739/Queensland-STOPS-transgender-kids-accesing-puberty-blockers-mum-launches-court-battle-decision.html

ABC update that is as reasonable as they have been for a long time. Not reasonable enough - no comment from Jillian Spencer who is actually a doctor.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-23/qld-premier-david-crisafulli-backs-puberty-blocker-ban/105926344

That’s strange that neither the Health Minister or the director-general of Qld Health were called as witnesses, despite the case being about whether the director-general issued the directive legally or at the direction of the Health Minister.

I think Dr Spencer’s employment has now been terminated and her case is due to be heard by the industrial relations commission fairly soon.

Now all there is to do is wait and see, fingers crossed that the decision falls on the rightside of common sense. 🤞

Decision handed down. Ban has been lifted due to procedural errors putting the ban in place. Nothing to do with ethics or morals, just procedure.

Qld Health Minister is considering reinstating the ban.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-28/qld-puberty-blockers-judgement/105942094

Bugger. 🤬

And all for the want of a horseshoe nail, it seems.

What does that mean? I’ve never heard it before.

This was the lead story on Daily Mail Aus a few hours ago:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15233183/Australian-court-makes-landmark-ruling-puberty-blockers-transgender-kids.html

Health Minister released this statement stating that he was considering using a legislative power to reintroduce the ban while waiting for the review that is due at the end of next month.
https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/103809

The power is no.44 here. Screenshot once it’s approved.
https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2011-032

Apparently the Health Minister has now done this. It was reported on the news tonight but had just happened in State Parliament. Once I find a story I’ll post a link.

The Queensland Government isn’t done with this yet.

https://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/poems/for-want-of-a-nail

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_want_of_a_nail

Thanks @nauticant. That makes sense. Pay attention to the small boring details.

Here we go. Puberty blocker and cross sex hormone ban back in place for new patients in public paediatric gender clinics in Queensland. Good.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/oct/28/queenslands-controversial-puberty-blocker-ban-overturned-by-supreme-court

Laws are drafted, I think, with the generosity of spirit and recognition of what has always been with which we have always lived. However, there is now a cohort who will cast an eye over each line and each phrase, parse it to the bone and say “but you didn’t say this thing specifically”.

Lawmakers and parliamentary drafters now have to create or modify laws with that same rigour. And seeing as parliamentary drafters are as Civil Service as the next department, one wonders how much they have been Aconned or Stonewalled. So they wouldn’t necessarily be drafting laws with an eye to keeping hordes out but rather trying not to offend their mates.

It's back on, brill. 🥳

The ministerial ban will stay in place until at least January. Review is due at the end of November and a decision based on it will be made in January.

There was a trans protest in King George Square today. Apparently it was a pretty small protest.

Thanks for the update, I'm glad to see they're sticking with it, they seem determine to ban this child abusing practice, which is a good, good thing. 👍🥳

Here’s the official directive. To be reviewed by 28 January 2026.

https://www.health.qld.gov.au/system-governance/legislation/ministerial-direction-treatment-of-gender-dysphoria-in-children-and-adolescents-with-hormone-therapy

Just browsing Reddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/ausjdocs/comments/1ojpbn6/landmark_puberty_block_ban_reinstated_by/

"There was a trans protest in King George Square today. Apparently it was a pretty small protest."

After the recent heat and storms, maybe they preferred to stay inside in the aircon.