Group Calls on Aussie States to Follow NT’s Ban on Trans Inmates in Women’s Prisons

Women’s Forum Australia is calling on political leaders across the country to follow the Northern Territory’s (NT) lead in banning transgender inmates from women’s prisons.

This comes after NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, from the Country Liberal Party, announced she would ban transgender inmates who identify as women from being housed in women’s prisons.

“We have very clear rules here in the Northern Territory. If you are a bloke, you go to a men’s prison. If you’re a woman, you to to women’s prison,” she told reporters.

Finocchiaro was elected as Chief Minister after a decisive victory at the NT general election in 2024, winning 17 of 25 seats in parliament. Her move on transgender prisoners has since attracted national attention.

‘The Time for Silence and Inaction is Over’: Women’s Forum CEO

Women’s Forum CEO Rachael Wong said what started as a state issue has become an urgent national crisis.

“If Australian leaders care about women’s safety, they must follow Lia Finocchiaro’s commonsense ban on men in women’s prisons,” she said on X.

“The time for silence and inaction is over.”

Wong said it was refreshing to have a leader willing to defend women’s rights, safety, and dignity.

“Many Australian leaders talk a big game when it comes to women’s safety and condemning violence against women, but unless they follow the Northern Territory’s issue, we will never believe them again,” she said.

Finocchiaro recently told reporters the NT’s position was “very clear cut.”

“I can’t believe that we are seeing these woke agendas and this ideologically driven policy from Labor Premiers and Prime Ministers, who are putting the rights of people who identify as a woman, the rights of men who identify as a woman, above the rights of women who are vulnerable and imprisoned to be safe.”

However, the NT Anti-Discrimination Commission Jeswynn Yogaratnam criticised Finocchiaro’s comments, saying that they were “alarmist, unsupported by evidence from the NT, and risk inflaming prejudice and hostility toward trans Territorians.”

Federal Senators Praise Leadership of Finocchiaro

However, Liberal Senator for the NT Jacinta Nampijinpa Price congratulated Fincchiaro for showing leadership and standing up for women’s safety and dignity.

“Her decision to keep women’s prisons for women is the kind of common-sense Australians expect from their leaders,” Price wrote on X.

“For too long, ideology has been put ahead of women’s rights and protections—and the consequences have been devastating.

“This is not about politics. It’s about protecting vulnerable women from further harm and making sure the voices of survivors are heard and respected.”

South Australian Senator Leah Blyth also praised Finocchiaro’s stance.

“No woman should ever be forced to share a cell with a man. It’s that simple. It’s time the rest of Australia followed suit,” she said on Facebook.

Victoria Seeking Updated Policy Advice on

Prisoner Placement

In Victoria, reports recently emerged that a transgender inmate with sex offences who identifies as a woman had been placed in the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre women’s prison.

Victorian Labor Premier Jacinta Allan declined to say whether she planned to introduce a similar policy in Victoria in response to the NT’s decision.

“I’ve got no announcements to make on that matter today,” Allan told reporters on Oct. 15.

On Oct. 16, Victorian Corrections Minister Enver Erdogan told parliament he had asked his department to update its policies on prisoner placement. However, it is unclear what changes would be made.

“I can confirm that I have asked Corrections Victoria to update their policies to ensure that the safety and wellbeing of the wider women’s prison population is a stronger consideration in placements,” he said (pdf).

“That also means a stronger consideration of the nature of past offending. I think that is a relevant consideration, and it should be given greater weight in these decisions. The policy will be updated.”