❓ Question regarding historical harmful practices on gender diverse children in WA's mental health system and current safeguards. The Minister acknowledges the past, affirms current ethical practices, and commits to ongoing research and ethical standards.
AnsweredQoN 794Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) In
1987, the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) published
a report describing eight gender diverse children, who were admitted to Stubbs
Terrace Psychiatric Hospital for children and adolescents for “inpatient
therapy”. This now almost 40-year-old article was written by Dr Robert Kosky,
who at the time was the Western Australian (WA) Health Department’s Director of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry Services. The MJA recently published an article by
McFayden et al., 'An autoethnographic critique of a past report of inpatient
psychiatric treatment for gender diverse children' accompanied with the
following statement in an editorial - "At the MJA, we appreciate
the power imbalances at play here. These exist between medical experts with
professional standing, a scholarly journal with an established national
reputation, and a patient, who at the time the “inpatient treatment” was
administered was a child. In this context, we are immensely grateful that Jayne
and her co‐authors chose to entrust their work to the MJA
for consideration. As editors, we are also grateful for the opportunity this
experience has afforded us to reflect and act on what it means to demonstrate
institutional accountability for past decisions". Given that we now
know that the eight children described in Dr Kosky’s article were subjected to
harmful experimental efforts to change or suppress their inherent gender expansive
behaviours and identity in a state-funded psychiatric hospital, how is the
Minister proposing to address the issues raised by the recent article by
McFadyen et al. and the Journal’s accompanying editorial? (2) In reference to (1), in particular, what arrangements is the Minister making to reassure the Parliament that: (a) WA Health will be
setting aside adequate long-term local funding to support effective outcomes
research, as highlighted in the MJA’s recent editorial and as specified in the Royal
Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists’ recently updated position
statement on the role of psychiatrists in the mental health care of gender
diverse people: (i) specifically following up the long-term outcomes
among the eight people described in Dr Kosky’s 1987 report; (ii) to address adequately existing bottlenecks and
gaps in local and regional health care services currently providing
person-centred care for gender diverse youth and their families; and (iii) to provide the funding required to secure and
further expand Western Australia observational research program focussed on
reporting and evaluating long-term clinical outcomes among local gender diverse
youth, which is now beginning to achieve national and international recognition; (b) WA Health conducts an effective audit of the obvious local research governance failings at that time.; and (c) in reference to (b), what safeguards are now in place to prevent a repetition of this kind of
research, which: (i) permitted the
publication of patient clinical information in a research format without
apparent prior consent from either the patients concerned, their parents or
guardians; and (ii) permitted the
publication of specific personal and clinical information, which in the
instance of Jayne McFadyen, was clearly identifiable and a source of
significant additional distress decades later?
1987, the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) published
a report describing eight gender diverse children, who were admitted to Stubbs
Terrace Psychiatric Hospital for children and adolescents for “inpatient
therapy”. This now almost 40-year-old article was written by Dr Robert Kosky,
who at the time was the Western Australian (WA) Health Department’s Director of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry Services. The MJA recently published an article by
McFayden et al., 'An autoethnographic critique of a past report of inpatient
psychiatric treatment for gender diverse children' accompanied with the
following statement in an editorial - "At the MJA, we appreciate
the power imbalances at play here. These exist between medical experts with
professional standing, a scholarly journal with an established national
reputation, and a patient, who at the time the “inpatient treatment” was
administered was a child. In this context, we are immensely grateful that Jayne
and her co‐authors chose to entrust their work to the MJA
for consideration. As editors, we are also grateful for the opportunity this
experience has afforded us to reflect and act on what it means to demonstrate
institutional accountability for past decisions". Given that we now
know that the eight children described in Dr Kosky’s article were subjected to
harmful experimental efforts to change or suppress their inherent gender expansive
behaviours and identity in a state-funded psychiatric hospital, how is the
Minister proposing to address the issues raised by the recent article by
McFadyen et al. and the Journal’s accompanying editorial? (2) In reference to (1), in particular, what arrangements is the Minister making to reassure the Parliament that: (a) WA Health will be
setting aside adequate long-term local funding to support effective outcomes
research, as highlighted in the MJA’s recent editorial and as specified in the Royal
Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists’ recently updated position
statement on the role of psychiatrists in the mental health care of gender
diverse people: (i) specifically following up the long-term outcomes
among the eight people described in Dr Kosky’s 1987 report; (ii) to address adequately existing bottlenecks and
gaps in local and regional health care services currently providing
person-centred care for gender diverse youth and their families; and (iii) to provide the funding required to secure and
further expand Western Australia observational research program focussed on
reporting and evaluating long-term clinical outcomes among local gender diverse
youth, which is now beginning to achieve national and international recognition; (b) WA Health conducts an effective audit of the obvious local research governance failings at that time.; and (c) in reference to (b), what safeguards are now in place to prevent a repetition of this kind of
research, which: (i) permitted the
publication of patient clinical information in a research format without
apparent prior consent from either the patients concerned, their parents or
guardians; and (ii) permitted the
publication of specific personal and clinical information, which in the
instance of Jayne McFadyen, was clearly identifiable and a source of
significant additional distress decades later?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
2 December 2025
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health; Mental Health
Response time
7 days
(1) - (2)
The Department of Health acknowledges the historical context of the 1987 Medical Journal of Australia article, and the concerns raised. The practices described in the original report reflect a period in psychiatric care that is no longer representative of current clinical standards or ethical frameworks. While the identities of the individuals described in the 1987 article are not accessible due to de-identification, trauma-informed care remains available to any person seeking support through adult health services.
WA Health is committed to ongoing evidence-based practice, guided by contemporary research, clinical ethics, and person-centred care. The Child and Adolescent Health Service Gender Diversity Service does not engage in conversion therapies and operates under a model of care that affirms and supports gender diverse children and adolescents.
The Department of Health continues to invest in long-term outcomes research and supports the expansion of observational studies that evaluate clinical outcomes for gender diverse youth in Western Australia. These efforts are aligned with national and international best practice and contribute to the growing body of evidence that informs service delivery. WA Health remains committed to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in the care of gender diverse individuals.
All human research conducted in Australia is bound by the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research and the associated Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. The WA Health Mandatory Research Governance Policy sets the expectations for responsible research conduct in the WA health system and is aligned with both national documents to ensure research is conducted with the highest ethical and scientific standards.
The Department of Health acknowledges the historical context of the 1987 Medical Journal of Australia article, and the concerns raised. The practices described in the original report reflect a period in psychiatric care that is no longer representative of current clinical standards or ethical frameworks. While the identities of the individuals described in the 1987 article are not accessible due to de-identification, trauma-informed care remains available to any person seeking support through adult health services.
WA Health is committed to ongoing evidence-based practice, guided by contemporary research, clinical ethics, and person-centred care. The Child and Adolescent Health Service Gender Diversity Service does not engage in conversion therapies and operates under a model of care that affirms and supports gender diverse children and adolescents.
The Department of Health continues to invest in long-term outcomes research and supports the expansion of observational studies that evaluate clinical outcomes for gender diverse youth in Western Australia. These efforts are aligned with national and international best practice and contribute to the growing body of evidence that informs service delivery. WA Health remains committed to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in the care of gender diverse individuals.
All human research conducted in Australia is bound by the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research and the associated Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. The WA Health Mandatory Research Governance Policy sets the expectations for responsible research conduct in the WA health system and is aligned with both national documents to ensure research is conducted with the highest ethical and scientific standards.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.