The Greens' bill to ban conversion practices has passed in Tasmania's House of Assembly.

Tasmania’s House of Assembly has passed the Greens’ bill to ban conversion practices after almost 20 hours of debate, the ABC reports. It says the bill passed on the voices, with Labor, four of the seven independents and Liberals Jeremy Rockliff, Bridget Archer and Roger Jaensch in support. Premier Rockliff gave Liberal MPs a conscience vote. The bill covers attempts to change, suppress or eradicate a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. It says an expression of belief or principle, including through prayer, is not a conversion practice. Treasurer Eric Abetz and Deputy Premier Guy Barnett called it overreach. A bid to delay the vote for a committee review failed. The bill now goes to the Legislative Council, with no timing given. #taspol #auspol https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-29/conversion-practice-ban-tasmanian-lower-house-parliament/107321670

Tasmania's lower house has passed the Greens' bill to ban conversion practices, after a debate that ran almost 20 hours and past 2am. It passed on the voices, with Labor, four of the seven independents and three Liberals, including Premier Jeremy Rockliff, in support on a conscience vote. The bill defines conversion practices as attempts to change, suppress or eradicate a person's sexual orientation or gender identity, and it spells out what it does not catch: a health practitioner's clinical judgement, online debate, religious prayer, and parents talking with their children. If it clears the Legislative Council, Western Australia and the Northern Territory will be the only places in the country where conversion practices remain lawful. Treasurer Eric Abetz and Deputy Premier Guy Barnett called the bill overreach, and attempts to carve out prayer, private conversations and health care from it were voted down. Rockliff backed it while saying he wants stronger religious protections written in upstairs. The argument now moves to the upper house, where those carve-outs will be fought over again. Victoria's four Catholic bishops have entered the state election with a voting guide for Catholics, a month out from polling day. It says there is no Catholic party and no single Catholic way to vote, then lists the matters the bishops want weighed: freedom of religion and conscience, the place of faith communities, "respect for life", and "just support for our schools". It lands on a campaign in which both major parties have promised to fully fund abortion, and follows Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli's attack a fortnight ago on what he called a "culture of death". Click through to our full news post for this and more! Welcome to the 31 October 2026 edition of the NSL Weekend Wrap, your weekly round-up of news and views on Australian secular issues! #auspol #Secularism https://www.nsl.org.au/columns/weekend-wrap-for-31-october-2026/