Released 05/04/2024
The ACT’s new Restricted Medical Treatment Assessment Board met for the first-time last week.
Led by a former National Children’s Commissioner the Board was created under the Variation in Sex Characteristics (Restricted Medical Treatment) Act 2023 to ensure the wellbeing of people with a variation in sex characteristics.
Inaugural President, Megan Mitchell AM, is joined by 12 other members from across Australia on the new statutory body.
The Board will form assessment committees to approve treatment plans for restricted medical treatments for intersex people, where they are unable to make medical treatment decisions for themselves, and irreversible medical treatments are being considered.
Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said Ms Mitchell and the other board members bring a wealth of experience across the required categories of ethics, human rights, medicine, variation in sex characteristics and provision of psychosocial support.
“Megan Mitchell has a long and distinguished career representing the best interests of children and young people and I am pleased she will be leading the inaugural Restricted Medical Treatment Assessment Board,” Minister Stephen Smith-Smith said.
“The Board will play an extremely important role in protecting the rights of Canberrans who are not able to make their own medical decisions.
“Their assessment of proposed treatment plans will ensure intersex people will not be harmed by inappropriate medical intervention and that they will be able to make their own decision about medical treatments that affect their bodies.”
To ensure smooth and periodic refreshing of the Board, the President and half of the inaugural members will be appointed for five years, with the other half being appointed for three years.
The inaugural members of the Restricted Medical Treatment Assessment Board are:
Megan Mitchell AM (President), Simone-lisa Anderson, Anna Brown, Morgan Carpenter, Susan Cochrane, Chloe Hanna, Leith Henry, Jacky Hewitt, Ghassan Kassisieh, Michaela Okninski, Michael Rosier, Kristiina Siiankoski, and Amanda Turnill.
Quotes attributable to Restricted Medical Treatment Assessment Board president Megan Mitchell:
"I am proud to have the opportunity to work on the Board alongside esteemed colleagues and experts by experience to better protect the rights of people with variations in sex characteristics.
“The new approval process will provide much needed safeguards for certain irreversible medical treatments, ensure interventions honour the human rights of individuals, avoid unnecessary surgeries and deliver greater confidence to families that they are agreeing to the best possible treatments.”
Quotes attributable to Mimi Hall, Intersex Project Coordinator from A Gender Agenda:
“I am excited about the upcoming implementation of new legislation and the establishment of the Variations in Sex Characteristics Treatment Regulation Unit and its Board.
“The extensive legal framework, combined with a team of experts hailing from diverse professional backgrounds, grounded within human rights frameworks, marks a crucial step toward protecting our intersex children in the ACT.
“Reflecting on my experience growing up intersex, I see this development of a team and protective legislation as something I wish my parents and I had had whilst growing up. I am encouraged that it is now becoming a reality.”
- Statement ends -
Rachel Stephen-Smith, MLA | Media Releases