Transgender advocates have criticised the panel assembled to conduct the Queensland government’s review of puberty blockers for lacking experts in gender affirming care and people with lived experience of trans healthcare.
The state government opened its independent review of stage 1 and stage 2 hormone therapies in Queensland’s public paediatric gender services to public submissions last week, but kept the panel conducting the review secret.
The seven members were made public on Wednesday.
The panel includes three medical specialists; psychiatrists Ruth Vine and Beth Kotze, and endocrinologist Bruce Robinson. It also includes academics Eleanor Milligan, Lisa Brophy, Malcolm Smith and a former judge, Kerry O’Brien.
A spokesperson for Queensland Health said the community could be assured the review panel would approach its work in a “considered and evidence-based manner”.
The state government has paused any new patients under 18 accessing paediatric gender therapies through the public system until the government considers the review’s outcome. Children already on a treatment plan – nearly 600 in total – can still access the services.
The review is due to be completed by 30 November.
[Ed: The current public consultation process closes 29 July 2025. https://www.health.qld.gov.au/research-reports/reports/review-investigation/hormone-therapies-review]