One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has called for an end to gender-affirming treatments for kids, as the federal government attempts to stall the banning of puberty blockers in some parts of the country.
Health Minister Mark Butler announced on Friday that the National Health and Medical Research Council will conduct a review of healthcare for transgender and gender-diverse children.
The review will include an examination of children’s gender-affirming care, such as the use of puberty blockers.
‘It is imperative there is community confidence that n children, adolescents and their families are receiving the most appropriate care,’ he said.
Guidelines on the use of puberty blockers will be completed by mid-2026, with other advice not yet given a completion date.
The announcement comes two days after the Queensland government immediately paused any new patients under 18 accessing gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers and hormone therapies.
The move came after reports that gender-affirming hormones had been given to minors as young as 12 years of age without authorised care in the state’s far north.
Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls also unveiled a review into the evidence for prescribing puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormones for young people with gender dysphoria.
Mr Butler said he has asked Mr Nicholls to follow national standards.
‘I’ve indicated to minister Nicholls that I don’t think it would be appropriate for Queensland to continue with their stated intention to undertake an evidence review in this area of care,’ Mr Butler said.
‘These issues should be nationally consistent, and in my view, should be driven by the pre-eminent authority, which is the NHMRC.’
Meanwhile, Ms Hanson has called for an immediate ban on all gender-affirming procedures, rather than waiting for the results of the review.
‘I understand the review intends to hand down advice in mid-2026, but considering the finding in the United Kingdom that puberty blockers posed an “unacceptable safety risk” to children, we should immediately ban them for minors in ,’ she said.
‘It is appalling the Labor government is ignoring this finding, which should have led to an immediate ban here in .
‘The safety of our kids should not be put on hold for 18 months. The safety of our kids should be the priority.
‘These puberty blockers and these hormone treatments are lifelong – they are not reversible, they are irreversible procedures that are happening.
‘Puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, irreversible surgeries, this is child abuse, plain and simple. And every time I demanded a review, Labor’s response was to abuse, belittle, and insult, not just me, but every n who dared to speak the truth.
‘I have lost count of how many times I’ve called for a Senate inquiry into the horrific medical experiments being performed on n children under the guise of transgender healthcare.’
The issue has come under global scrutiny with the UK’s controversial Cass review ultimately leading to the National Health Service restricting the use of puberty blockers in children.
In the United States, President Donald Trump has also vowed to end federal funding for gender-affirming care for children.
Mr Butler said he has been cautiously watching the issue unfold internationally.
‘I’ve given deep consideration to this area over the course of summer, given movements overseas,’ he said.
He said the review would be evidence based and he was ‘not interested in playing politics with the issue’.
‘Not all of the (commentary) is particularly constructive, and some of it, frankly, is quite damaging to the mental health of young people and families,’ he said.