Submission on Labor’s Draft National Platform

We made a submission on the Labor Party’s Draft National Platform earlier in May this year, covering a wide variety of recommendations on health, human rights, and identification documents. The Conference is a triennial event.

Recommendation 1 was adopted prior to the National Conference in July 2015.

Summary

Paragraph numbers relate to the National Platform – Consultation Draft

1. Inclusion of “intersex status”.

Change each instance of “sexual orientation and gender identity” to “sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status”, throughout the document.

2. Add specific content about intersex health and human rights.

Add content on intersex health to the section on “Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex health”, including the following objectives:

  • The deferral of non-necessary medical interventions on infants and children with intersex variations until such times as the person concerned can give informed consent.
  • The prohibition of modifications to sex characteristics undertaken for social rationales, without informed consent.
  • Ensuring that intersex persons’ right not to undergo sex assignment treatment is respected.

3. Create a specific institutional framework.

In “LGBTI place in a stronger democracy”, remove references to intersex people in discussion about a National Gender Centre. In place of this, add to the section on “Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex health” the following:

  • Fund national intersex-led organisations to provide support to intersex persons and their families, and advocate on intersex issues.

4. End PBS and Medicare discrimination.

In paragraph 78, recognise that current access to PBS and Medicare remains discriminatory in some contexts. Examples include access to testosterone by women with Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, and other people with gender markers other than male.

5. End discrimination against intersex women athletes.

Paragraph 62 should include a commitment to end discrimination against women athletes with intersex variations.

6. Ensure consent and proportionality in improvements to sex or gender markers on identification documents.

In paragraph 62:

  • Ensure proportionality in the use of sex and gender markers on official documents so that any presence of such markers fulfills a genuine and proportionate need.
  • Ensure that all people with intersex variations are able to exercise autonomy regarding sex/gender markers, and obtain identification options that match their sex characteristics and/or gender identities, as preferred.

Important note

Please note that OII Australia is not aligned to any specific political party; we also engage in discussions with, and submissions to, parliamentarians and policy staff from other political parties in Australia.

More information

Download the submission (PDF format).

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