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The Queensland government released confidential information about the parent of a trans teenager – information she claims potentially “outed” her teen – to a unknown individual.

Allegations of “Bullying” and “Privacy Violation”

The revelation came as the government was accused of “coercion” and “an invasion of privacy” after demanding confidential health records from guardians of transgender children who are considering a additional court case to its controversial ban on puberty blockers.

Latest Official Order on Puberty Blockers

Recently, the state health minister, Tim Nicholls, issued a new order banning the use of hormone blockers for trans individuals, just hours after the state’s supreme court ruled the initial ban was illegal.

Guardian Australia has interviewed several parents who have approached Nicholls for a official paper called a statement of reasons – a formal explanation of why the authorities decided to ban hormone treatments in the region. By law, the document must be supplied under the legal statute.

Demanded Health Information

Each were asked by the health authorities for details of their teen’s health background, including “your child’s name, their birthdate and any supporting documents which confirms your child having a clinical diagnosis of gender identity disorder”.

The information were sought before the explanation would be provided.

The email, which has been seen by the Guardian, also asked them to verify if your teen is a patient of the Queensland Children’s Gender Clinic so that we can verify the information provided with the health service,” reads the communication, which was dispatched last Friday.

Mothers Label Request as Invasion of Privacy

All four mothers described the request as an violation of confidentiality.

A mother said she was reluctant to divulge the details because the authorities had mistakenly forwarded her information to a different parent.

“It feels like having to reveal your teen to actually get a reply; like, it’s terrifying,” she said.

Case of the Mother

The parent, who must remain anonymous because it would also reveal or expose her teen, was among those who requested a explanation both times.

In May, the agency sent a response meant for her to someone else, revealing her name and location – and the detail that she had a transgender child – to a third party. She said a government employee later said sorry by telephone; the Guardian has obtained an message from the department admitting the error.

She said she felt “sick and unsafe” as a result of the blunder.

“My child is very reserved. She is deeply afraid of being exposed in any social setting. She dislikes people to know that she’s trans,” the mother said.

“I respect that to my very being as much as possible. The only time I ever, ever disclose is out of need for obtaining entry to supports and exclusively to individuals I consider trustworthy and I trust completely.”

Louise was especially worried about the suggestion it would be “confirmed” by the hospital.

She said the demand was “threatening” and “seems coercive”.

Other Mother Voices Worries

Sally* said she was unwilling revealing the health background of her seven-year-old non-binary child.

“It’s not my data, it’s a seven-year-old’s details,” she said.

“To think that that information could inadvertently be leaked someday, in any way, you know, even if that was accidental, could be deeply, deeply distressing to them.”

She responded saying the department had asked for an “extraordinary amount of information”.

“I wouldn’t provide that data to any other organisation that requested it, particularly in the climate of the current political climate,” she said.

“It’s such highly confidential information. You wouldn’t disclose, for instance, your medical condition to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be very reluctant and very cautious to provide such details to a bunch of bureaucrats, basically.”

Advocacy Group Weighing Further Action

The advocacy organization, which represented the mother in her challenge, was evaluating a new legal action, it said recently.

Its president, Ren Shike, said the ruling had impacted about hundreds of minors and their relatives and it was crucial to efficiently facilitate the provision of reasons so that minors and their parents can understand the reasoning behind this decision, which has had such a devastating impact on their access to healthcare”.

Government Position on Prohibition

The government has repeatedly said the ban would remain in place until a examination into gender-affirming care had been finished.