Overview
- Justice Peter Callaghan reserved his decision after a Brisbane Supreme Court hearing and indicated he aims to rule by the end of next week.
- The court heard hospital chiefs were told of the directive in a Microsoft Teams meeting of about 21 minutes that occurred as the health minister announced the freeze publicly.
- Lawyers for the mother argue Director-General David Rosengren improperly exercised his power at the minister’s direction and failed to conduct genuine consultation required under the Hospital and Health Boards Act.
- Counsel for Queensland Health accepted consultation was abbreviated but said the law does not specify its form, noting Rosengren considered a cabinet submission and that both he and the minister had authority to direct.
- The directive blocks public provision of puberty blockers and hormone treatments to new patients under 18 while an expert psychiatric review proceeds, with the government linking the pause to concerns raised by cases in Cairns and supporters of trans youth protesting outside court.