Religious leaders call for rollback of Victoria’s oppressive conversion therapy ban

Religious leaders in Victoria have called on the Victorian Government to roll back its oppressive conversion therapy ban, warning that it criminalises conversations between parents and children, and prevents ministers from offering pastoral advice to those seeking it.

If you are a regular reader of our blog, you’ll be familiar with Victoria’s infamous Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Act, which has become something of a model for other conversion therapy bans around the world. The legislation is frequently hailed by activists in the UK as the “gold standard” for Westminster to follow.

Not only does the Act make it unlawful not to affirm a person’s declared gender identity, but official state guidance on how to avoid prosecution under the law also prohibits prayers about sin and repentance. As we have pointed out previously, this means that praying the Lord’s Prayer could fall foul of the law if used with a person struggling with their sexual or gender identity. Just as alarming, the guidance even said a parent discouraging their child from taking puberty blockers would be guilty of unlawful conversion therapy — this was only deleted following public backlash.

Four years on from the Act coming into force, the Victorian Law Reform Commission has launched a review of the legislation.

In their submission to the review, a group of religious leaders with pastoral oversight for more than two million Victorians warn that the Act extends far beyond addressing harmful practices, and that its “broad overreach, ambiguity and ill-defined concepts of faith, has caused confusion in the community”. They say this is most notable among religious leaders and parents, who “appear to be disproportionately affected by the Act”.

Representing a range of religious traditions – including Anglican, Catholic, Sikh, Hindu and Muslim – the leaders go on to say there has been “a chilling effect, particularly on religious leaders, many of whom feel constrained or unable to provide appropriate pastoral care to those seeking guidance for fear of breaching the law”.

We have seen similar pushback from church leaders in neighbouring New South Wales, whose Conversion Practices Ban Act is modelled on Victoria’s.

The Sydney Anglican Synod passed a motion in September 2025 encouraging Christians to be unafraid to proclaim God’s good design for marriage and gender, and to continue to provide prayer for those seeking to live in obedience to God’s Word — even if it risks a complaint under the law. The Presbyterian Church of NSW likewise passed a motion affirming its commitment to uphold biblical truth, and to continue to support and care for people struggling with their sexuality or gender.

This latest intervention from religious leaders in Victoria is significant, since it further pulls back the curtain on the impact such laws have on religious freedom. With the Westminster Government doubling down on its commitment to publishing a draft conversion therapy Bill for England and Wales, it’s crucial we continue to hold Victoria up as a warning to UK politicians. Drafting a law that does not censor ordinary pastoral ministry and parenting is simply not possible.