People who are transgender, intersex and gender-diverse no longer have to face the plethora of issues involving their personal records held by Australian Government departments and agencies.

New national guidelines to make it simpler for people to establish or change their sex or gender in personal records held by Australian Government departments and agencies will come into operation from 1 July.

The Guidelines standardise the evidence required to change gender identity and support the introduction of protections for intersex, transgender and gender diverse people in anti-discrimination legislation.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus QC said “These Guidelines will bring about a practical improvement in the everyday lives of transgender, intersex and gender diverse people,” and represent a commitment to recognising the full diversity of people in Australia, ensuring all people are treated with respect by Australian Government departments and agencies.

“Transgender and intersex people in Australia face many issues trying to ensure the gender status on their personal records matches the gender they live and how they are recognised by the community” Mr Dreyfus said.

The fact that The Australian Government is recognising that individuals may identify and be recognised within the community as a gender other than the gender they were assigned at birth or during infancy, or as an indeterminate gender, is a step in the right direction.

Increased consistency in the way the Australian Government collects and records gender under the Guidelines will strengthen Australia’s identity security system, the integrity of agency records and the accuracy of individual personal records, in line with the Australian Government’s approach to identity security.

A copy of the guidelines is available at www.ag.gov.au/genderrecognition