The Australian defence minister has justified spending more than $1 million of taxpayer money on sex-change operations for soldiers.
Defence Minister Marise Payne said funding the operations was necessary as defence force members are not covered individually by Medicare.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson used question time in the Senate on Monday to query reports the government had contributed to 27 operations in the past five years.
Defence Minister Marise Payne said funding the operations was necessary as defence force members are not covered individually by Medicare
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson used question time in the Senate on Monday to query reports the government had contributed to 27 operations in the past five years
Senator Payne insisted gender dysphoria cases were treated in accordance with best practice clinical guidelines.
Senator Hansen said she was concerned sex changes were being prioritised over assisting soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental illnesses.
She argued sex changes were a ‘personal choice’, and did not help protect Australia.
Senator Payne was adamant assisting with sex changes for soldiers did not impact support for personnel in other matters.
She argued the $1 million spent on sex changes needed to be viewed within the context of a $430 million total budget.
The Defence Force spent $1,052,330 on the surgeries, not including pharmaceuticals they have handed out.
The Defence Force spent $1,052,330 on the surgeries, not including pharmaceuticals they have handed out (stock image)
In the last four-and-a-half years, the Defence Force had 27 members who were treated for gender dysphoria, including 17 people who had sex-change surgery.
Ten of the sex-change surgeries were male to female, which was revealed after a Freedom of Information request.
Members with gender dysphoria are assessed by Defence Force Recruiting individually before it is determined what services they might need.
Soldiers who have undergone sex-change surgery are able to use separate facilities including disabled toilets.