Legislative reform
In 2018 the Labor government of Western Australia (sic) promised to #ReformTheEqualOpportunityAct, and in 2020 to Abolish the gender reassignment board. However with their super majority and control of both houses, they have dragged their feet and refused to introduced the promised legislation.
In 2022 the Review of the Equal Opertunity Act 1984 (WA) was published, recommending sweeping reforms that would catch WA’s Legislation up with the rest of Australian (sic) states and territories. The reforms include greater protections for queer teachers in religious education institutions, removing the requirement for a GRC to be protected from discrimination as a trans or gender diverse person, introducing anti-vilification laws and extending them to many protected identities, removing the complicated disadvantage test from sexual harassment law, and extending anti-discrimination laws to government staffers. The equal opportunity act is overdue for reform.
The gender recognition process in Western Australia is a dehumanising and bureaucratic process requiring medical and social evidence of your gender identity from everyone involved except you. In 2022-2023 the board became inactive twice due to the resignation of the board president. The media controversy caused Labor to reaffirm their commitment to #AbolishTheBoard but they are still yet to introduce the legislation.
Rainbow Futures WA published a submission made to the government recommending the board be replaced with a statutory deceleration system. This system is not radical, already being the case in the majority of states and territories. As the clock ticks down on Labors opportunity to pass the reforms we emphasise the urgent need for action from the government. You can support Rainbow Futures campaign by writing to the attorney general and premier here.