Gay conversion therapy has officially been banned in the state of Victoria after a bill passed in parliament overnight in what MP are calling “one more step in the fight for full equality.”
The Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Bill makes attempts to change or suppress someone’ sexual identity a crime carrying a penalty of up to 10 years in jail or $10,000.
In addition to making conversion therapy illegal, the bill also gives the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission the powers to investigate and refer matters of concern to the police.
The bill passed in parliament late on Thursday evening with 27 votes to nine.
MP Harriet Shing took to social media to announce the ban on Thursday night.
“It’s done. The Bill to ban conversion, change and suppression practices in Victoria has passed, without amendment, 27:9,” she tweeted.
“It was hard, and it was full of pain and distress. But we did it. And we got there together. Thank you for making me brave. I hope I did you proud.”
It’s done. The Bill to ban conversion, change and suppression practices in Victoria has passed, without amendment, 27:9.
It was hard, and it was full of pain and distress. But we did it.
And we got there together.
Thank you for making me brave. I hope I did you proud.
— Harriet Shing MP (@ShingvWorld) February 4, 2021
Greens leader Samantha Ratnam also took to Twitter to celebrate the bill’s passing.
“So proud to support this reform and feeling so happy for LGBTQ+ people across Victoria tonight. This is one more step in the fight for full equality,” she wrote.
BREAKING: The conversion practices bill has passed the upper house and will now become law.
So proud to support this reform and feeling so happy for LGBTQ+ people across Victoria tonight. This is one more step in the fight for full equality❤️💚💛🧡💙💜
— Samantha Ratnam (@SamanthaRatnam) February 4, 2021
The proposed new legislation went through a full 12 hours of debating on Thursday, with MPs meeting at 11am but not being able to finally vote to pass the bill until nearly 11pm.
Unfortunately, the bill did face some opposition, with Liberal MPs Bev McArthur and Bernie Finn rejecting their own party’s views and voting against the bill.
Additionally, crossbenchers Jeff Bourman, Clifford Hayes, Stuart Grimley, Tania Maxwell, David Limbrick, Tim Quilty and Catherine Cumming all voted against the bill.
But in the end, the bill was finally passed in what can only be described as a great day for Victorians. You truly love to see it.
