Source: New Zealand Parliament
Some research has found negative effects of conversion practices on the mental wellbeing of many New Zealanders. The effects have included low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts and attempts.
This bill aims to make conversion practices illegal in New Zealand.
The Justice Committee called for submissions on 18 August 2021. Submissions closed on 8 September 2021. The committee received more than 100,000 written submissions from members of the public. This is the highest number of submissions ever received on a bill in New Zealand.
For the committee’s initial hearings on the bill, it formed two subcommittees which have begun to hear from organisations that asked to make an oral submission. You can watch oral submissions on the committee’s Facebook page. The committee intends to hear from individuals at a later date.
The committee has also begun to release written submissions and they can be found on the Parliament website. Committee staff are continuing to process submissions. More information will be provided at a later date on the nature of submissions—once all submissions have been processed.
Ginny Andersen, Chair of the Justice Committee, said: “The number of submissions on the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill is nearly three times higher than any bill has ever received in New Zealand. We would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to write a submission on an issue that is clearly important to so many people.”
