Request 1 - Enquiries

This involves the provision of free, confidential and impartial mediation services that may assist people to resolve their disputes.1 If a matter is not resolved through the Commission’s dispute resolution services, the complaint may be referred to the Human Rights Review Tribunal.2 None of the eight complaints you refer to were within scope of the criminal threshold in the CP Act. [...] Request 2 - Engagement In response to your second request, we note the Commission engaged with a range of individuals and organisations in both the lead up to, and since the passing of, the CP Act. [...] This is consistent with the overwhelming majority of the peer reviewed evidence base3, and it is a key message the survivor community seeks to communicate – while it may be possible to temporarily supress a part of who we are, it is not sustainable in the long-term, and it is always harmful in the end. [...] In doing so, the Commission must be cognisant of the fundamental human rights principles of equality and non-discrimination, including the need to take special measures to protect those most marginalised within our society.4 In the context of the CP Bill, it was clear from peer-reviewed evidence that those most marginalised and harmed are the victims and survivors of conversion practices, and othe. [...] Separate to this, the Commission has a number of broader functions under the HRA including to advocate for, promote through education, undertake research, prepare and publish guidelines and engage with civil society on human rights issues in 3 Refer to the Commission’s Justice Select Committee submission on the Bill for further discussion and references.