Equality Australia chief executive Anna Brown described the bill's conscientious objection provisions as"simply unconscionable",adding it would"drive people back into the closet"when they visited a doctor or other health service.
Attorney-General Christian Porter released the draft laws last month and is currently talking to religious and community groups. On Tuesday,Mr Porter toldThe Sydney Morning Herald andThe Age the government had engaged in"very constructive discussions"with LGBTIQ+ Australians and was"aware of the concerns they have raised".
The bill,which is due to be introduced to Parliament in October,clarifies where health practitioners can conscientiously object to providing care. While health workers can generally conscientiously object to providing an abortion or assisting with euthanasia,Equality Australia says the Morrison government's draft legislation broadens the terms for conscientious objection.
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According to the government's explanatory notes,the bill clarifies that the conduct rules for health practitioners are"not reasonable"if they prevent a doctor or nurse from conscientiously objecting on the basis of their religion. A conduct rule is any requirement from an employer that relates to the provision of a health service.
While the bill also notes that conduct rules are reasonable if they are needed to avoid an"unjustifiable adverse impact"on a patient or a service provider,advocates say it is unclear whether a pharmacist,for example,could refuse to give hormones to a transgender patient,on the grounds that this did not accord with their religious beliefs.
The bill covers services by doctors,nurses,midwives and pharmacists as well as other allied health professionals.