Re: Bobbie

In the matter of *Re: Bobbie*, heard before Tree J, the applicant parents sought authorisation to consent to stage two and stage three medical treatment for their child, Bobbie, who was diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria in Adolescents and Adults. The dispute concerned the capacity of the parents to consent to such treatment, which included the administration of testosterone and the surgical removal of Bobbie's breasts.

The central legal issue before the Court was whether the applicant parents had the authority to consent to the proposed medical interventions for Bobbie, given the nature of the treatments and the age of the child. This involved considerations of parental responsibility, the best interests of the child, and the legal framework governing medical treatment for minors, particularly in the context of gender dysphoria.

Tree J reasoned that the parents were authorised to consent to stage two treatment, comprising the administration of testosterone, and stage three treatment, involving the surgical removal of Bobbie's breasts. The Court made orders to protect Bobbie's privacy, prohibiting the publication of any identifying information and requiring anonymised reasons for judgment to be released. The Court also granted leave for the applicant parents and Bobbie to provide unanonymised copies of the orders to Bobbie's treating practitioners, to the extent not already authorised by the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth). All other pending applications were dismissed.