Leader of The Nationals and Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh will oppose the Births, Deaths & Marriages Registration Amendment Bill 2019, which is scheduled to be debated when State Parliament resumes next week.
The bill has been introduced to the Victorian Parliament by the Andrews Labor Government.
Its primary purpose is to allow birth records of gender to be altered to a gender descriptor nominated by an applicant.
“Birth certificates exist to record the gender of a person at birth, and should remain so,” Mr Walsh said.
He said the law currently requires an individual to undergo general reassignment surgery before their birth certificate can be changed.
“If passed, the bill will give applicants the right to choose their birth certificate gender as male, female or another non-binary option,” Mr Walsh said.
“I have been contacted by a large number of my constituents who have expressed very genuine concerns with this bill.
“They see the proposed changes as having little regard for the silent majority who choose to live their lives identifying as the gender to which they were born.
“Those men and women seek legally safe and comfortable access to their own spaces and privacy in a broad range of social, living and sporting environments.”
Mr Walsh said he acknowledged the rights of individuals to live their lives according to their identified gender, but this bill leaves far too many questions unanswered.
“I thank the people of Murray Plains who have sent me their considered thoughts on this piece of legislation.”