Submissions to government bodies and institutions.
In April 2014, OII Australia made a lengthy submission to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) calling for the prohibition of genetic testing to select against intersex traits. Unfortunately, draft guidelines by the NHMRC support decision making by individual clinicians in defining and screening “serious genetic conditions”. The same language of “serious” “genetic…
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OII Australia has joined with 27 other community organisations, legal experts, unions and service providers to call for improvements to the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 in Victoria. Victoria has not yet responded to the inclusion of “intersex status” alongside “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in the federal Sex Discrimination Act, amended in 2013. The Maltese…
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A submission to an inquiry stated to be on access to gender recognition by trans people. OII Australia was invited or requested by a range of parties to comment on numerous occasions during the inquiry submission period, and thus we made a submission despite the narrow suggested scope of the inquiry. It reflects our concerns on issues of involuntary or coerced medical treatment, and on proposed sex or gender classifications.
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…
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This is a submission to the Health Minister, following a reported policy change by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) restricting access to testosterone to treatment initiated by a specialist. Dear Minister I write as president of Organisation Intersex International (OII) Australia Limited, an intersex-led Public Benevolent Institution run by volunteers that promotes the human…
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Late last year, the Human Rights Commissioner announced a survey and consultation to explore key rights and services issues affecting LGBT and intersex people in Australia. Download OII Australia SOGII Submission 2015 OII Australia consulted our members, board and broader constituency, and we have made a submission today that covers the key intersex-specific issues for…
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In October this year, the Maltese government launched a consultation exercise regarding a new Gender Identity Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Bill (“GIGESC”). The Bill is ground-breaking and, if passed as we hope, it will: create a “right to bodily integrity and physical autonomy for all persons”. make unlawful “non-medically necessary treatment on the sex…
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OII Australia has made a submission to the UN Committee Against Torture, in relation to a national review of Australia’s work. The submission has been endorsed by the Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome Support Group Australia, People with Disability Australia and the National LGBTI Health Alliance.
The Senate of Australia is currently engaged in an inquiry on the recognition of foreign same-sex marriages. Tony Briffa married Manja last year, in New Zealand, in a marriage that is not recognised as either opposite sex, nor same-sex, marriage. Tony wrote a personal submission to the inquiry, which OII Australia supported. Tony spoke at…
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Following a meeting between Megan Mitchell, the National Children’s Commissioner, and Morgan Carpenter, yesterday, we have made a late submission to the National Children’s Commissioner inquiry on intentional self-harm and suicidal behaviour in children. The Australian Human Rights Commission describes the inquiry as follows: The National Children’s Commissioner is examining how children and young people…
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OII Australia has just made a submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission in relation to its inquiry on Equality, Capacity and Disability in Commonwealth Laws: This Inquiry will examine laws and legal frameworks within the Commonwealth jurisdiction that deny or diminish the equal recognition of people with disability as persons before the law and…
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Zwischengeschlecht, Child Rights Network Switzerland, and other Swiss NGOs made a Shadow Report submission earlier this year to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Periodic Report of Switzerland on the Convention on the Rights of the Child. OII Australia welcomes and endorses the NGO submissions, and has written to the UN Committee on the Rights of…
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