Australia

At this current time, Australia is quite safe politically and socially for trans people, compared to the US. It has anti-discrimination laws, a diverse population and a generally welcoming culture.

Overview of Australia

Why Australia?

Conversion therapy is banned in Queensland, Victoria, Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales (from April 2025), and South Australia.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Australia since 2017 (although Australia was the last of the Five Eyes countries to make it so), and joint and stepchild same-sex adoption has been legal in all states since 2018.

In the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, it is illegal to discriminate against transgender and gender-diverse people in Australia (as well as all LGBTI people) – although, unfortunately, religious private schools and religious-owned hospitals are exempt from the gender identity and sexual orientation provisions.

Australian passports require a gender marker on them but since 2013, the marker can be male, female, or X. No medical intervention is needed, although you will need evidence in the form of either:

• a form filled out by and with a registered medical practitioner or psychologist
• an updated birth certificate.

Australian residents born overseas can record their changed gender with their state/territory's Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia. After a change is recorded, they are issued a recognised details certificate (identity acknowledgment certificate in South Australia).

Why Not Australia?

Currently a "pause" on Stage One and Two hormone therapies for people under the age of 18 in Queensland.

Conversion therapy is currently not banned in Western Australia, Northern Territory, or Tasmania.

LGBTQ+ Overview

LGBTQ+ Friendly Cities

In general larger cities and more central suburbs are friendlier:

• Melbourne – particularly Yarra, Stonnington, Darebin, Banyule, Moreland, Fitzroy, Port Phillip, and Knox.
• Sydney – particularly Inner West, Randwick, Waverley, City of Sydney, Blue Mountains, Newtown, Darlinghurst, and Paramatta. Sydney is the home of the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival and has a long history of LGBTQ activism.
• Brisbane – although mainly the inner city such as Fortitude Valley and New Farm.
• Perth –  the most welcoming suburbs are Maylands and Bayswater.

Political Situation for Trans People

Australia is amongst the most accepting places in the world and generally considered safer and more supportive than the US and UK, although it is not without a risk of the right-wing gaining a foothold, and so a strong pushback is happening and needed to ensure our progress is not undone.

Australia's current federal government is the Australian Labor Party (ALP) which is centre-left. Australia has preferential voting so votes can also go to other parties such as the Australian Greens in order of preference, without any vote going to 'waste'.

Recently, after a long time with a Labor government, the Queensland Government is now under a Liberal National Party (LNP), which is already having some effects that will hopefully not spread to other states.

It's important to note that the Liberal National Party (LNP) is a centre-right wing party here, unlike the use of the word liberal in the US.

In 2025 there is currently a “pause” on Stage One (puberty blockers) and Stage Two hormone therapies for people under the age of 18 in Queensland, while an “independent review” is underway. This was triggered by the excuse that one service in Cairns is being investigated and a reference to the Cass Review. Days after this was announced the Australian government announced a national review into the treatment guidelines of trans and gender-diverse young people, with interim advice expected to be issued in mid-2026. This national review could be good if it ensures nationally consistent and progressive laws.

Access to Trans Healthcare

In Australia instead of going to a “provider” as in the US, you go to any General Practitioner (GP), a Doctor who gives you a prescription you then get filled by a pharmacist or chemist.

Gender reassignment surgery is available but at a high cost and in only a few private hospitals, so many Australians travel to other countries such as Thailand for surgery.

Medical and mental health staff with expertise in trans issues are lacking, particularly in rural areas. Wait times are long depending on where and how you are seeking treatment due to the lack of qualified surgeons.

Injectable oestrogen is rare in Australia compared to the US due to the risk of blood clots and is not covered under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is only available to Australian residents with a current Medicare card. Overseas visitors from countries with which Australia has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) are also eligible to access the Scheme. This doesn’t include the US, but does include the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Malta, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Belgium and Slovenia.

You can enrol in Medicare once/if you are a permanent Australian resident, although Medicare (if you have it) will only cover some kinds of treatments, surgeries and medications.

Without Medicare, PBS, or RHCA, medical costs will be more expensive so it may be worth looking into private health insurance if you do not fit under any of those conditions.

If you are already receiving HRT in the US, it may be easier to get a prescription to continue it in Australia. This is particularly easy for E compared to T being a more ‘controlled’ substance.

Entering Australia

Immigration Policy

US citizens need a visa to move to Australia. Even visiting requires a visa. There is an agreement with New Zealand, which means if you have residence or citizenship in either country, it counts for both.

Current immigration and citizenship information on the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website has information including:

• list of visas
• homepage (has notices about visas for specific countries).

Medical Inadmissibility

To meet the health requirement for a visa you must be free from any disease or condition that is:

• a significant healthcare and community service cost to the Australian community (currently over $86,000)
• likely to limit the access of Australian citizens and permanent residents to healthcare and community services that are in short supply by placing demand on those services, or ‘prejudicing access’.

Currently, these services considered in short supply are:

• organ transplants
• dialysis.

Permanent Residency

There is a residence calculator to see if you can apply for residence.

To be eligible for Australian citizenship by conferral, you must have:

• been living in Australia on a valid visa for 4 years immediately before the day you apply
• held a permanent visa or a Special Category (subclass 444) visa (SCV) for the last 12 months immediately before the day you apply, and
• not been absent from Australia for more than 12 months in the past 4 years, and no more than 90 days in the 12 months immediately before applying.

Citizenship Pathway

You can become a citizen if you have held a permanent residency in New Zealand or Australia for five years.

Become an Australian citizen information.

Living in Australia

Cost of Living

Medication is much cheaper in Australia than in the US because Australia has price ceilings for medicine.

Some places will have jars for tips but is not mandatory or expected in Australia.

Housing Access and Cost

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in 2019–20:

• 66% of Australian households owned their own home with or without a mortgage.
• 31% of households rented their home.
• Average weekly housing costs were:
  • $493 AUD ($310 USD) for owners with a mortgage
  • $54 AUD ($33 USD) for owners without a mortgage
  • $379 AUD ($238 USD) for renters.

According to the Trans Pathways study, one in 5 young trans people in Australia had encountered homelessness at some point in their lives.

Internet Access and Cost

There are multiple internet network technologies currently in operation in Australia, the largest and generally most accessible is the government-owned National Broadband Network (NBN). The NBN is currently a mix of Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), Fibre to the Node (FTTN) and Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) technologies due to political interference. There is also 4G mobile coverage throughout most of the continent, and 5G is being rolled out starting with capital cities.

Expected internet connection speeds for typical FTTP connections are 75-100Mbps down and 20-40Mbps, however, this will vary greatly by technology, location and plan.

Costs range between ~$10 prepaid mobile plans with a set amount of data up to $120pm on large usage/speed product offerings. The frugal option is generally to switch to the cheapest providers as lock-in terms expire and take advantage of deals as there is a relatively competitive market, particularly for NBN-connected services.

Censorship and Digital Privacy

In Australia, all internet providers are federally mandated to keep a record of internet traffic against a service-assigned IP address and are made available to law enforcement when requested. The conditions for accessing this information are quite strict, however, there have been multiple instances of law enforcement bypassing this requirement with minimal consequences.

Due to the incompetence of the Australian government however, this tracking is only somewhat effective as Retail Service Providers largely provide a dynamic IPv4 by default and simply using an alternate DNS on your router or devices bypasses this entirely. A VPN is also effective.

Law Enforcement and Safety

The country has a stable political system and a low crime rate, and Australians generally experience a safe lifestyle. However, you should be as cautious with your safety and possessions as when travelling anywhere.

There are GLLO (LGBTIQ+ Liaison Officers) available on request.

It’s illegal to carry weapons for self-defence in Australia, and owning and using a firearm is limited to people who have a genuine reason (self-protection is not one). Individual shooters need to be licenced as well as each firearm. You don’t feel a need to have a gun for self-defence here though due to there being fewer guns around.

Triple zero (000) is the emergency number in Australia.

Accessibility and Disability

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is only available to:

• Australian citizens
• Permanent Visa holders
• Protected Special Category Visa holders (New Zealand citizens).

There are plenty of accessible transport options throughout Australia for people using mobility devices. Trains, buses and ferries across the country have features like wide aisles and ramps. Australian airports offer a range of accessible support options.

Most Australian capital cities provide a mobility map displaying useful information such as disabled parking zones and spaces with steep gradients. You can also use the National Public Toilet Map to find wheelchair-accessible toilets across Australia (and it also shows if there is a unisex toilet option). Travellers with high support needs can also access Changing Places toilets in major cities.

Most public transport facilities across Australia use tactile tiles and Braille signs to assist travellers with vision impairment, and key announcements are made over speakers at most major train stations. Pedestrian signals across the country are accompanied by Braille signs and a beeping sound to indicate when it’s safe to cross.

Australian airports offer a range of accessible support options.

Visitors with sensory sensitivities or neurological processing difficulties can purchase a Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard or wristband. Most capital cities and some other airports (Cairns, Gold Coast) have staff trained to assist travellers with hidden disabilities as part of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program.

If you or someone you’re travelling with has autism, you can order an Autism Alert card (although it can only be sent to Australian addresses). The card is worn to identify an individual's needs and alert others to situations that require patience or support.

Australia has strict biosecurity laws and requires all assistance dogs to undergo quarantine before entering the country.

Australia’s banknotes feature tactile cues to help people who are blind or have low vision recognise each denomination: the $5 note has one raised bump, with two bumps on a $10 note, and three, four and five bumps on the $20, $50 and $100 notes respectively.

Audio induction loop systems are used widely across Australia, which transmit sounds and announcements straight to your hearing aids – look for the International Deafness Symbol or Hearing Loop sign at customer service counters.

Many cultural institutions offer guides, tours and commentary using Auslan, or Australian Sign Language. Auslan is similar to British Sign Language but quite different to American Sign Language.

Ease of Travel to Other Countries

Australian citizens can travel to over 100 countries without applying for a visa, including New Zealand, Canada, the UK, and more. However, there may be a cost associated with entering that country. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Smart Traveller website is helpful for more information on where you can travel.

Animal Policies

Only certain animals can be brought into Australia with you, and there are additional limitations depending on the breed and country of origin.

The step-by-step guides on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website are a good place to check for information about cats and dogs.

Generally, while renting you need approval from a landlord before you can have a pet on your property, although the specifics vary from state to state. In Victoria, for example, the rental provider must have a good reason to refuse the request, and would also need to apply to VCAT to refuse permission.

Australia has strict biosecurity laws and requires all assistance dogs to undergo quarantine before entering the country.

Resources

Community and Support Resources

A great directory of services is available at trans.au.

Some of the resources are:

• ACON offers a range of free and/or affordable community care and counselling services for LGBTQ+ adults in NSW. Services include suicide prevention and aftercare peer support, care coordination, HIV and LGBTQ+ counselling, substance support and home-based care.
• AusPATH hosts a list of medical providers whose details are submitted and maintained by AusPATH member Health Providers who have given consent to visibility on this directory and who have acknowledged their commitment to working to strengthen the health, rights and wellbeing of all trans people – binary and non-binary.
• Charlee is a digital suicide prevention hub created by the LGBTQ+ community. It takes a no-wrong-door approach and seeks to create a safer space designed by LGBTIQA+ peers, to connect other peers and supporters to resources that better reflect and address the experiences often faced by our communities.
• Inner City Legal Centre provides legal aid for LGBTQ+ people in NSW.
• QLife is a non-crisis national LGBTQ+ peer-run service offering support and referral for people wanting to talk about sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships.
• The Gender Centre provides services and support for the trans and gender-diverse community including accommodation support, groups, case management, education and training, counselling and mental health support.
• TransHub provides information and resources for the trans and gender-diverse community.
• Transcend Australia provide individualised and group peer support for trans people and their families.

Asylum and Refugee Resources

Some resources specific to if you are entering while seeking asylum or as a refugee are:

• Forcibly Displaced People Network (FDPN) works to support LGBTIQ+ people seeking asylum, refugees and migrants from non-Western countries to be safe in Australia.
• NSW Asylum Seekers Centre supports a peer group for clients who identify as part of the LGBTQI+ community. The group meets regularly, providing opportunities for social connection with access to events, dinners, nights out and guest speakers.
• NSW Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS) provides free legal advice, assistance and representation for financially disadvantaged and vulnerable people seeking asylum in Australia. Their lawyers are specially trained to support refugees who identify as LGBTQI+ in accessing safety in Australia.
• Queer Refugee And Asylum Seeker Peers (Melbourne) is a growing community of LGBTQI+ refugees and people seeking asylum, a peer-led social support group that meets regularly for activities, excursions, workshops and training, referrals, connections, networking, and emotional and practical support, and a “queer family” for both QRASP members and their friends and allies.
• STARTTS LGBTIQA+ project provides peer-led support groups for anyone who identifies as having a diverse gender, sexuality or body and is an asylum seeker, refugee or with a refugee-like background. Groups are anonymous and confidential spaces where people can be themselves amongst their peers, share information and knowledge, and be referred to services.
• Third Queer Culture (Brisbane) is a peer social group for LGBTIQ+ people from diverse backgrounds who have experience of seeking safety in Australia.