FOI 25-0197 LD IR – Puberty Blocker Ban

Written by Claude Haiku 4.5 from the extracted text on 27 Feb 2026. It can miss or misread redacted and scanned pages. Check the source before relying on it.

This internal Department of Health briefing on gender dysphoria treatment in Australian children outlines the government's position that clinical evidence for gender-affirming therapies in minors remains evolving and that service provision is state/territory responsibility. The document notes approximately 178,900 Australians identify as transgender or gender diverse (ABS 2022), with specialist services operating via multidisciplinary approaches in various jurisdictions. Two independent reviews commissioned by NSW and Queensland governments found their services safe and evidence-aligned. The briefing confirms no overarching Medicare Benefits Schedule item covers all gender-affirming consultations and procedures, though individual rebates exist for specific surgical procedures and specialist consultations. A Medical Services Advisory Committee application (1754) from the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons for public funding of gender-affirming surgical procedures was submitted March 2023 but explicitly excludes children, with the clinical evidence stage still scheduled for consideration.