Radio NZ News 5 October 2020
Labour will ban conversion therapy, work with schools to provide gender neutral bathrooms and make sure healthcare is responsive to the needs of trans, intersex and gender diverse people if it is elected.
In addition, it will invest $4 million in existing Rainbow youth mental health services and review adoption and surrogacy policies with a view to removing discriminatory practices.
Labour Rainbow spokesperson Tāmati Coffey says the party is “relentlessly proud to support Rainbow communities” and has a plan to keep moving towards a more inclusive New Zealand.
“Labour has a proud track record on advancing equal rights; we led the charge on homosexual law reform, civil unions, and marriage equality. We’ve also made good progress this term by wiping historic homosexual convictions, providing additional funding for targeted mental health support and HIV research, and lifting the cap on gender confirmation surgeries.
“We have advanced a lot this term but there is more work to do to make sure all New Zealanders live free of discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
“We will pass a law to ban the harmful practice of conversion therapy. Conversion therapy is based on the misguided idea that people are wrong or broken because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This is fundamentally wrong.
“Evidence shows it’s relatively common and a recent New Zealand survey found that more than one in six participants reported that a professional had tried to stop them from being trans or non-binary.
READ MORE: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/427644/labour-promises-ban-on-conversion-therapy-rainbow-mental-health-funding
NZ Election 2020: Activists praise Labour’s commitment to ban conversion therapy
NewsHub 6 October 2020
Anti-conversion therapy activists who have pushed for a end to the practice say they’re pleased to see Labour has committed to banning it.
Labour on Monday said it would outlaw conversion therapy if it forms the next government.
The contentious practice is used to try and change, suppress or eliminate someone’s gender identity or sexual orientation.
READ MORE: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/10/nz-election-2020-activists-praise-labour-s-commitment-to-ban-conversion-therapy.html