The Sydney Star Observer newspaper, a long standing must rea for LGBTQIA Australians, reports that the fight against Queensland's transphobic laws goes on.
What was initially described as a temporary "pause" on gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth in Queensland has escalated into a major legal and political conflict, placing families and medical professionals at its heart.
In January 2025, Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls announced an immediate halt on access to puberty blockers and hormone therapy for new patients under 18 seeking treatment for gender dysphoria within the public health system. The government stated the pause would not affect existing patients of the Queensland Children’s Gender Service (QCGS) and would remain until a broader review's outcomes were considered.
The decision was controversially linked by the government to alleged "unauthorised" provision of hormones at the Cairns Sexual Health Service, a clinic located over 1,700 kilometres from the Brisbane-based QCGS. On 28 January, Queensland Health Director-General Dr David Rosengren formalised the halt via a health service directive, focusing on "new patients"—a term that has since become pivotal in ongoing legal challenges.
The move was swiftly condemned by medical bodies, including the Australian Medical Association, and advocacy groups. Equality Australia warned the policy would have "catastrophic impacts" and described Queensland as becoming an "outlier state".
The human impact of the policy is starkly illustrated by one Queensland mother, who cannot be named for privacy reasons. Her daughter, a QCGS patient for six years, was awaiting an appointment with a paediatric endocrinologist when the ban took effect. "My daughter’s health is my top priority," she told Star Observer. With public treatment suddenly unavailable, she was forced to seek private care at great personal cost.
he revealed that each puberty blocker injection cost hundreds of dollars, with one instance nearing $2,000—expenses that would not have been incurred under the public system. "15 days is all it took in January 2025 for the Crisafulli Government to strip my daughter and other trans young people of their human right to access health services without discrimination," she said.
The mother has vowed to continue the fight, stating plainly: "If the Court finds that the ban does apply to my daughter, our fight against the Crisafulli Government’s ban on gender affirming care will continue." The case underscores the deepening divide over transgender healthcare in Australia, with Queensland's policy leaving families in limbo and facing significant financial and emotional strain.
