The Rationalist Society of Australia has called on the Albanese government to put a stop to the non-clinical circumcision of boys and to the public funding of the practice through the Medicare system.

In a letter to federal health minister Mark Butler (pictured) and assistant minister Ged Kearney last month, the RSA labelled penile circumcision for social, cultural or religious reasons as a violation of a child’s human rights and a violation of their freedom of religion when performed for religious reasons.

In her letter (see below), RSA president Dr Meredith Doig asked the ministers to confirm whether taxpayers were paying for non-clinical circumcision through the Medicare system, how many were being performed and how much the practice was costing. 

She pointed to data – revealed by author and human rights advocate Jonathan Meddings at a recent RSA Webinar – that annual Medicare claims related to penile circumcision have remained constant at more than 20,000 in recent years and peaked at almost 23,000 in 2020/21 during the pandemic. 

Mr Meddings said private clinics whose business model was to have “boys on a conveyor belt” were fraudulently making Medicare claims because most circumcision procedures would not be considered as ‘clinically relevant’.

“The practice is harmful – and it can even be deadly. Last year, a child died in Perth after undergoing circumcision. As Mr Meddings argued in the webinar, it can also place an immense emotional, psychological and physical toll on children when they grow into adulthood,” wrote Dr Doig.

“We urge the Albanese government to put a stop to the non-clinical circumcision of non-consenting boys in Australia. The practice is a violation of their human rights and, when performed for religious reasons, a violation of their own freedom of religion.”

The RSA has also written to several federal MPs and Senators, urging them to pursue the matter.

Image: Mark Butler MP (Facebook)

Letter to Minister Butler and Assistant Minister Kearney, 14 December 2022

Dear Minister Butler and Assistant Minister Kearney,

I’m writing to you on behalf of the Rationalist Society of Australia to draw to your attention an issue we believe requires urgent attention and action.

Recently, we were alarmed to learn that tens of thousands of circumcisions are being performed on boys each year for non-clinical reasons – these being social, cultural and religious reasons – on the public purse.

Australian taxpayers are paying for these unnecessary procedures. Data sourced by Jonathan Meddings, author of the new book The Final Cut: The Truth about Circumcision, show that annual Medicare claims related to penile circumcision have remained constant at more than 20,000 in recent years.

Mr Meddings told our recent webinar (watch it here) that private clinics were fraudulently making Medicare claims because most circumcision procedures undertaken in Australia would not be considered as ‘clinically relevant’ and should therefore not qualify for the Medicare rebate. Mr Meddings said it was the business model of private GP clinics to have “boys on a conveyor belt”. 

Troublingly, these annual figures peaked at almost 23,000 in 2020/21 – when there was supposed to be a moratorium on elective procedures due to the pandemic and there was a shortage of personal protective equipment.

As Mr Meddings points out, claiming Medicare rebates for non-clinically relevant circumcisions would likely be an offence under the Health Insurance Act 1973 and the Criminal Code 1995.

The practice is harmful – and it can even be deadly. Last year, a child died in Perth after undergoing circumcision. As Mr Meddings argued in the webinar, it can also place an immense emotional, psychological and physical toll on children when they grow into adulthood.

We urge the Albanese government to put a stop to the non-clinical circumcision of non-consenting boys in Australia. The practice is a violation of their human rights and, when performed for religious reasons, a violation of their own freedom of religion.

Minister Butler and Assistant Minister Kearney, can you confirm to us:

• if it is true that Australian taxpayers are paying for non-clinical circumcision through the Medicare system;

• how many are being performed each year;

• how much is it costing taxpayers through the Medicare system;
• if it is true that Medicare claims related to penile circumcision climbed during the years of the pandemic.

Sincerely,

Meredith Doig,

President, Rationalist Society of Australia