The mother of a transgender teenager has launched legal action against Queensland Health Director-General Dr David Rosengren, following the state’s decision to suspend access to puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for new under-18 patients.
The woman, whose identity remains confidential to protect her daughter’s privacy, has successfully obtained a Supreme Court order compelling Dr Rosengren to provide a formal explanation for the controversial directive.
Implemented in late January, the directive bars public doctors from initiating puberty blockers or HRT for new patients under 18 who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria. The move has sparked widespread concern across the LGBTQIA+ community and among trans rights advocates, who warn it severely restricts access to essential, time-sensitive medical care.
The mother said the freeze left her with no choice but to seek costly private healthcare for her daughter, expressing grave concern about the mental and emotional toll male puberty could have on her child.
“It’s absolutely shattering,” she said.
Reflecting on her daughter’s resilience, she added: “Despite enduring sustained bullying that led to me removing her from her school and her developing serious anxiety, which we’re still recovering from, my kid hasn’t faltered once in over five years in her determination to live as a girl.”
The legal challenge arrives amid broader national debate, with the federal government currently reviewing healthcare practices for young people diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
In response to Queensland’s directive, Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has requested that the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) develop new national guidelines to strengthen clinical care for transgender youth.
“These guidelines will ensure Australia has the most appropriate national guidelines of clinical practice and that families have the utmost confidence in the healthcare young Australians receive,” Minister Butler said.
The outcome of this legal battle could have a lasting impact on how transgender youth are treated within Australia’s public health system. Advocates hope the case will prompt a shift towards policies that prioritise inclusive, evidence-based care and uphold the rights of trans young people.
