We have remarked before about ABC’s silence on the harms of gender treatments and how this silence shows a clear failure to meet its own performance guidelines.
Firstly, we here at Women’s Cooee acknowledge that Dear Aunty has absolutely no obligation to report on events just because we view them as important. While we can (and do!) demand that our views should be put forward, the ABC has discretion to represent differing views so long as “no significant strand of thought or belief within the community is knowingly excluded or disproportionately represented” (Editorial Standard 4.2). The ABC has discretion to report, or not, on developments that it deems to be significantly in the public interest. Provided that “editorial decisions are not improperly influenced by political, sectional, commercial or personal interests” (Editorial Standard 1.3).
It is in ABC’s purview to provide us, the readers, listeners and the viewing public, with almost 20 separate updates featuring Associate Professor Michelle Telfer over the past decade. This includes Telfer’s clinical work and her advocacy in the courts. Here they are, in order, and archive-linked for your reference.
These updates are among other features and updates about youth gender “medicine” that do not feature Michelle Telfer, such as the 2020 episode of 4Corners “Not a Boy Not a Girl” and the 2023 episode of 4Corners “Blocked” to name but two.
Why Hasn’t ABC Reported The Latest News on Telfer?
While we can’t expect ABC to report a story just because we think it is important, we can reasonably expect the ABC to be the go-to source for information about Michelle Telfer and youth gender treatments more generally.
Re Devin
On 9th April 2025, Justice Strum published a decision in Re Devin, in which he was highly critical of an anonymised “Associate Professor L” who had provided gender services to a child. On 5 June 2025, the veil of anonymity was lifted and Associate Professor L was revealed to be Associate Professor Michelle Telfer. This is a significant development concerning Telfer and child gender treatments in Australia.
Strike Against Re Jamie
On 21 June 2025, retired former Justice Strickland, one of the Judges on the Re Jamie case, declared that the case “may have been different” if he had possessed the information we have today. Re Jamie was a case where Michelle Telfer was instrumental in providing her clinical advice to the court. The decision paved the way for puberty blockers to be available without court intervention where both parents agree.
Two important updates regarding Michelle Telfer and her body of work.
We, the readers, listeners, and watching public, would reasonably expect to be informed of these updates by ABC.
Yet we find ourselves twisting in the wind.
Should you wish to ask the ABC to pay attention, there are a variety of options open.
- Campaign Club has suggestions – Is Mediawatch Watching?
- Visit our guide to Making a Complaint
Image source: Photo by Hoodh Ahmed on Unsplash