Chamber and committees

If you have any information on how we can balance those rights, it would be great for the committee to see it. It is about having that balance and respecting both sets of rights. From what we have heard, there are people who are feeling that, so we must make sure that we can achieve a balance. If there is anything that you can send to the committee, it would be very welcome.

The committee has heard from many witnesses that they have a worry that the bill will exclude women and girls in minority groups from accessing single-sex services and spaces. What is your view on that, Barbara?

Professor Sullivan, on that point, do you know whether data on bad-faith actors is collected elsewhere or whether things have happened elsewhere? What about the concerns in relation to women of faith?

I have one last point on that. Do you believe that it is important that we collect data on bad-faith actors and on women of faith to ensure that nobody is excluded from any service or place, such as those in the health system?

Okay. Could I hear from Barbara, please?

Thank you, Cathy. Victor Madrigal-Borloz spoke about how the bill will bring lead to a process of legal recognition that is quick and widely available.

Do you perceive any ripple effects in the future from having more numbers coming through and having a process that is easier to access? Will it have more of an effect on other groups, whether they are minority religious groups or other groups? Do you forecast anything coming up that will open up more issues or around people sounding off about their concerns in relation to the bill?

Thank you, Cathy. Victor—do you have anything to add on that?

Good morning, panel. Thank you for your opening statements and the evidence that you have provided. I will go a little bit more into what my colleague Maggie Chapman just talked about.

Some of the opposition to the GRA reform has focused on the potential impact on women and girls, particularly in relation to single-sex services and exceptions in the Equality Act 2010. The SHRC submission refers to the “Interdependence of human rights” and states that the rights of women and trans individuals “go hand in hand.”

Will you explain further what that means? Is it possible that the GRA reform will cause conflict between the rights of trans individuals and any other groups, such as religious groups?

I will go to Ian Duddy and Barbara Bolton first. They have talked about what the bill would not touch on.

Good afternoon, panel, and thank you for your opening statements. My questions are about the potential for these reforms to allow bad-faith actors to obtain GRCs more easily. The self-ID-based gender recognition system in Victoria, Australia, includes additional checks and safeguards for applicants such as registered sex offenders and prisoners. Are you aware of any other international examples of such additional checks? Do you believe that those additional checks would provide an important additional safeguard?

You say that a trans woman is a woman and a trans man is a man. How do you feel about religious people—minority groups out there—who feel that their religion will be impacted if somebody else is in that space? We heard in one of our private sessions that that would exclude more women and girls from minority groups. I do not know whether you have an example, but it would be good to hear your thoughts on why minority groups would not be affected if a trans woman came into a changing room, space or service.