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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 1041 asked in the Legislative Council on 22 November 2011 by Hon Lynn Maclaren

Parliament: 38 Session: 1


TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY


1041. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the Minister for Mental Health:

(1) Is the minister aware that on Sunday the transgender community of Perth gathered in Queen’s Gardens to recognise a day of remembrance for those who have died as a result of anti-transgender hatred or prejudice?

(2) Is the minister aware that in a recent survey, one-fifth of transgender people surveyed said they had been physically attacked, and one-third said that they had been the victim of violence?

(3) Is the minister aware of the scope and seriousness of the physical and mental health problems faced by transgender people?

(4) Are there any programs available to assist people in the transgender community to cope with violence, grief and threats of violence?

Hon HELEN MORTON replied:

I thank the member for the question.

(1)–(4) I was aware of those facts and figures that the member has mentioned. But I also thought that the article in the weekend paper, which related to a person in a similar way, was really quite revealing, and of course I get pretty interested in the issues around people like that who have those kinds of difficulties, the identity difficulties and the stigmatising that goes with that. I understand also that these people have a higher level of suicide as well. We have a suicide prevention strategy that is available to these people in different ways. In terms of the services that are quite specific to that particular group of people under the Mental Health Commission, I cannot recall any specific work. There may be some in that area, but I cannot recall it at this moment. But I am very familiar with or aware of the range of issues that these people identify about the difficulties that they express in their lifestyles.