Queensland law amended to allow transgender couples to change gender without divorce By Gail Burke ABC NEWS

Married transgender Queenslanders will no longer have to get divorced to change their gender category on their birth certificates after new laws were passed in State Parliament.

The amended laws have removed restrictions that had required a person not to be married before their birth certificate was changed to reflect their sexuality.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D'Ath said the amendments to the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registrations Act recognise existing marriages of people who undertake gender reassignment. "Previously any Queenslander who has undergone sexual reassignment surgery had to divorce their partner to have their gender legally recognised," Ms D'Ath said.

"That is an horrendous decision that anyone should have to make — to divorce someone they love — simply because the law doesn't allow them to recognise their change of gender. "The feedback is this is long overdue, and the state would have liked to have done this earlier — to see that passed is just

another step forward in getting true equality in our community.

"I hope delivering this reform will go some way to helping the transgender community to live their lives openly and without judgment."

Federal Parliament legalised same-sex marriage last year. The LNP, the Greens MP Michael Berkman and Independent Noosa MP Sandy Bolton supported the State Government in the changes.

Katter's Australian Party (KAP) MPs and the Pauline Hanson's One Nation MP Stephen Andrew voted against the laws.

KAP state leader Rob Katter said they were philosophically opposed to the federal law changes and the Queensland Bill.

"It's a consistent ideological position we have," Mr Katter said. "This is a continued attack on traditional values and we want to represent the traditional views.