A Victorian coroner who investigated the suicides of five young transgender women has recommended urgent investment to improve healthcare for trans and gender-diverse people.The Victorian government says it's reviewing the coroner's recommendations and LGBTQIA+ organisation Switchboard Victoria says it will advocate for change to be implemented.
The coroner also investigated the deaths of a fifth trans woman, a 19-year-old who was referred to by the pseudonym AS.Photo shows Hand with rainbow light reflecting on it for list of queer and LGBTIQ support numbers and websites in Australia The coroner made a recommendation requesting the federal suicide prevention minister, Emma McBride, intervene to try to further restrict the online sale of a toxic substance used in three of the five deaths.She noted that at least one recent coronial finding had made a similar recommendation and that the substance was linked to at least one other death interstate.
However, the coroner found the failures by police caused distress to Bridget's close friends and family members and prompted hundreds of community members to go searching for Bridget in Melbourne parkland. She described significant waitlists at public gender clinics as "untenable for patients and healthcare providers alike" and recommended the state government health department consider urgently increasing resourcing to publicly funded health services delivering gender-affirming care.
The coroner acknowledged that recommendation followed the advocacy of Bridget Flack's sister, Angela Pucci Love.