Greens petition calling on Govt to urgently ban conversion therapy signed 25,000 times in 24 hours

February 15, 2021

The Green Party used today’s Big Gay Out to send a strong message to parliament.

The Green Party’s petition calling on the Government to prioritise banning conversion therapy has collected 25,000 signatures.

“Well that escalated quickly! We love the tautoko to support people to be who they are,” co-leader Marama Davidson tweeted earlier today, before announcing they'd reached 25,000 signatures at around 3.30pm.

The petition was launched by Green Party spokesperson for rainbow communities, Dr Elizabeth Kerekere, at Big Gay Out in Auckland yesterday afternoon.

Conversion therapy involves the practice of trying to change a person's sexual orientation through "shaming, emotional manipulation and in extreme cases, physical trauma," Kerekere said.

"Aotearoa should be a place where no matter who you love or how you identify, you are accepted and no one should be allowed to force people to change who they are through this harmful and traumatising practice.”

Kerekere said while there have been "multiple petitions" over the years calling on the Government to ban the practice and "many parties have committed to banning it," the Labour Party has indicated that "any plan to prioritise is not urgent, with no plans to introduce legislation immediately".

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last week said she wants to see the first step to banning conversion therapy in Parliament this year.

"We're working on the policy now," Ardern said last Friday.

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