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As [[Foreskinned]] men and boys are in a consequence, it appears that strong and ever-increasing majority in Australia. ==Parental information==Raisingchildren.net.au provides excellent information on the efforts care of the [[RACPintact]], [[foreskinned]] to revitalize the circumcision industry in Australiaboys.<ref name>{{REFweb |url=https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/a-z-health-reference/foreskin |title=Foreskins and foreskin care |last=Anonymous |first= |init="RACP2022" |author-link= |publisher= |date=2021-12-21 |accessdate=2024-09-02}}</ref> may have scant success.
{{REF}}
Add category.
|format=
|quote=
}}</ref> The percentage of [[circumcised]] males in Australia (prevalence) is reported to be 26.6%.<ref>{{REFweb
|url=https://circstatistics.github.io/
|title=Global Circumcision Statistics and Estimates
|last=
|first=
|init=
|publisher=https://circstatistics.github.io
|date=2024-04-01
|accessdate=2024-04-01
}}</ref>
==History==
The indigenous people of Australia, the [[Aborigines]], have variously practiced [[subincision]] and [[circumcision]] since before the first contact with Europeans. This can only be classified as [[genital mutilation]]. The status of this practice at the present time is unclear.
The incidence of non-therapeutic neonatal [[circumcision]] in Australia approached that of the [[United States]] in the 1930s through 1960s.
[[Douglas Gairdner]]'s famous, classic 1949 paper, ''The Fate of the Foreskin: A Study of Circumcision'',<ref name="gairdner1949">{{GairdnerDM 1949}}</ref> seems to have had no effect in Australia. However, criticism of the practice of non-therapeutic circumcision accelerated in 1967.
The Melbourne Paediatric Society held a meeting on 12 November 1952 at which Dr. John Begg read a paper, "''Why Circumcise''" in which the practice of child circumcision was questioned.<ref>{{REFjournal
|last=Medical Societies
|init=
|author-link=
|last2=
|init2=
|author2-link=
|url=https://www.cirp.org/news/1953/1953-04-25_medjaust.php
|title=Why Circumcise?
|journal=Med J Aust
|date=1953-04-25
|volume=1
|issue=17
|pages=603-04
|pubmedID=13062881
|accessdate=2024-11-11
}}</ref>
Morgan (1967) criticised non-therapeutic [[circumcision]] in a letter published in the ''Medical Journal of Australia''.<ref>{{REFjournal
|date=2003-02-13
|accessdate=2021-12-16
}}</ref>
The <i>Australian Medical Association</i> (2007) said it would support laws to ban the non-essential [[circumcision]] of infant boys.<ref>{{REFnews
|title=Doctors back call for circumcision ban
|url=https://www.cirp.org/news/2007/2007-12-09_abc.php
|last=Anonymous
|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation
|website=
|date=2007-12-09
|accessdate=2024-07-27
|format=
|quote=
}}</ref>
}}</ref>
[[Gregory J. Boyle | Boyle]] et al. (2000) suggested that non-therapeutic circumcision of boys is "criminal assault." They concluded:
<blockquote>
Enforced non-therapeutic genital cutting of unconsenting minors is overdue for recognition by the legal community as sexual mutilation. As we enter the 21st Century, appropriate legal action must be taken to safeguard the physical [[genital integrity]] of male children.<ref>{{REFjournal |last=Boyle |first=Gregory J. |init=GJ |author-link=Gregory J. Boyle |last2=Svoboda |first2=J. Steven |init2=JS |author2-link=J. Steven Svoboda |last3=Price |first3=Christopher P. |init3=CP |author3-link=Christopher P. Price |last4=Turner |first4=J. Neville |init4=JN |author4-link=J. Neville Turner |etal=no |title=Circumcision of Healthy Boys: Criminal Assault? |journal=J Law Med |date=BoyleGJ SvobodaJS PriceCP TurnerJN 2000-02 |volume=7 |issue= |pages=301-10 |url=http://www.cirp.org/library/legal/boyle1/ |accessdate=2019-10-31}}</ref>
</blockquote>
}}</ref>
Na et al. (2015) considered whether Australian boys should be [[circumcised]]. They concluded:
<blockquote>In conclusion, although there is a benefit of circumcision in those with urogenital tract anomalies, in a healthy newborn,the disease in the foreskin is non-existent. There is insufficient scientific evidence to support routine newborn circumcision in Australia done for UTI risk and [[HIV]] transmission issues alone. Therefore, any surgical complication and financial cost of routine newborn circumcision for these reasons in Australia currently cannot be justified. From a medical point of view, the‘price’ is still too high.<ref name="na2015">{{REFjournal
}}</ref> This provides an estimated incidence of medically-unnecessary, injurious circumcision of 9.7 percent to 11.6 percent.
However, traditional [[MGM| male genital mutilation ]] remains popular among [[Aborigines]] in the Northern Territory where it is supported by the local government.<ref>{{REFnews
|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-22/nt-elders-concede-to-mistakes-in-ritual-circumcision/5213526
|title=Anger in NT community after circumcision rite ends with three boys airlifted to hospital
[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-09/boy-dies-after-circumcision-in-perth-southern-suburbs/100687108 The homicide police have referred the death of the two-year-old toddler to the coroner for investigation].<ref name="white2021"/>
Coroner Robyn Hartley has determined two-year old David Kalunga Flynn died from an overdose of morphine. The inquest found that Dr. Raad Hassan failed to monitor the two-year-old boy. He has been referred to the Western Australia medical "watchdog" for further action.<ref>{{REFnews
|title=WA doctor Raad Hassan referred to health regulators over death of Perth boy following circumcision
|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-22/gosnells-circumcision-death-coroner-finding-against-wa-doctor/105678826
|last=Shepherd
|first=Briana
|init=
|author-link=
|last2=Kagi
|init2=Blake
|author2-link=
|publisher=Australia Broadcasting Corporation
|website=ABC
|date=2028-08-22
|accessdate=2028-08-30
|format=
|quote=While Mrs Flynn was trying to come to terms with that news, she was told Joseph needed to be transferred to Perth Children's Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery to control bleeding from his frenular artery, damaged during the circumcision.
}}</ref>
=== AMA warns against circumcision ===
[https://www.amawa.com.au/news/mark-duncan-smith-elected-as-new-president-of-ama-wa/ Dr Mark Duncan-Smith], the president of the AMA (WA), issued a warning to parents on 10 December 2021 regarding non-therapeutic child [[circumcision]]. Dr. Duncan-Smith said parents should only "follow through with the procedure if there is a valid medical reason." According to Dr Duncan-Smith only about ten percent of boys in Western Australia are now being [[circumcised]].<ref>{{REFnews
|url=https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10293843/Circumcision-warning-two-year-old-dies-brother-bleeds-Western-Australia.html
|title=Parents are warned against circumcising their children after a toddler, 2, died 'of a reaction to anaesthetic' and his baby brother almost bled out
|accessdate=2021-12-12
}}</ref>
=== RACP issues new circumcision statement ===
The [[RACP]], a [[medical trade association]], issued a new 18-page promotional policy statement, entitled ''Circumcision of infant males'', in December 2022.<ref name="RACP2022">{{REFdocument
|date=2021-12-09
|accessdate=2023-11-20
}}</ref>
=== Doctor-mohel amputates the penis of two boys ===
Jewish doctor & ''[[mohel]]'' [[Hershel Goldman]] has amputated the [[penis]] from two boys while performing a [[Brit Milah]] in Victoria. The [https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/ Medical Board of Australia] (2024) has now banned him from performing [[circumcision]].<ref>{{REFnews
|title=Top circumcision doctor is banned from performing the operations after amputating two little boys' penises, tribunal hears
|url=https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13455661/Circumcision-doctor-Hershel-Goldman-fighting-ban.html
|last=Lackey
|first=Brett
|init=
|author-link=
|last2=
|init2=
|author2-link=
|publisher=Daily Mail
|website=
|date=2024-05-24
|accessdate=2024-05-25
|format=
|quote=
}}</ref>
== The current situation in Australia ==
The [https://auspaediatrics.org.au/ Australian Pædiatric Association ] resolved in 1971 "that newborn male infants should not, as a routine, be circumcised." This decision was announced in a letter published in the ''Medical Journal of Australia''.<ref name="bellmaine1971" /> The Australian Pædiatric Association published a second explanatory letter in July 1971.<ref>{{REFjournal
|last=Hall
|first=
|pubmedCID=
|accessdate=2023-11-18
}}</ref> As stated above, the incidence of non-therapeutic [[circumcision ]] of boys declined precipitously after the publication of these letters, so most men under forty-two nine are [[intact]]. These [[foreskinned]] men are now becoming fathers. They are aware of the value and functions<ref name="helard2014">{{REFweb
|url=http://www.intactaus.org/information/functionsoftheforeskin/
|title=Functions of the Foreskin
|format=
|quote=
}}</ref> of the [[foreskin]] , so these [[intact]] fathers usually do not want any son to be [[circumcised]]. Moreover, public hospitals in Australia do not permit the performance of non-therapeutic [[circumcision]].<ref name="tanny2015">{{REFjournal |last=Na |first= |init=AF |author-link= |last2=Tanny |first2= |init2=SPT |author2-link= |last3=Hutson |first3= |init3=JM |author3-link= |etal=no |title=Circumcision: Is it worth it for 21st-century Australian boys? |language= |journal= J Paediatr Child Health |location= |date=2015-06 |volume=51 |issue=6 |article= |page= |pages=580-3 |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jpc.12825 |archived= |quote=Most Australian states withdrew circumcision from the range of free services provided in public hospitals through Medicare funding system. |pubmedID=25683279 |pubmedCID= |DOI=10.1111/jpc.12825 |accessdate=2024-09-16}}</ref> As a consequence, it appears that the efforts of the [[RACP]] to revitalize the [[circumcision industry]] in Australia<ref name="RACP2022" /> may have scant success. The incidence of non-therapeutic [[circumcision]] of boys recently has been variously reported to be 4-10 percent.
== Video ==
===Australian Circumcision Part 1===* <youtube>v=UV3z-XceZ-g</youtube>===Australian Circumcision Part 2===* <youtube>v=-aXkeF6p1ig</youtube>===Circumcision in modern Australia with [[John_Adkison]]<br>===
* <youtube>v=VxSEiJfiL7w</youtube>
===Foreskin problems and circumcision | Healthy Male===
* <youtube>v=9WVVhB4CrBg</youtube>
===The Decline of Circumcision: How Australia and New Zealand Left It Behind===
* <youtube>v=Z2jYzyrHDzk&t=66s</youtube>
{{SEEALSO}}
* [[Australian Circumcision]]
* [[Foreskin revolution]]
* [[Intact Australia]]
* [[Jonathan Meddings]]
* [[New Zealand]]
* [[Royal Australasian College of Physicians]]
{{LINKS}}
* {{URLwikipedia|Australia|Australia}}
* {{REFnews
|title=Victoria stops circumcision in public hospitals
|url=https://www.cirp.org/news/2007/2007-08-12_herald-sun.php
|last=Hinde
|first=Suellen
|init=
|author-link=
|last2=Healey
|init2=Kelvin
|author2-link=
|publisher=Sunday Herald-Sun
|website=
|date=2007-08-12
|accessdate=2024-07-28
|quote=State Government has ordered the ban, which starts next month, following medical advice that circumcision of baby boys was unnecessary.
}}
* {{REFnews
|title=South Australia Bans Non-therapeutic Male Circumcision
|url=https://www.cirp.org/news/2007/2007-11-12_theadvertiser.php
|last=Pengelley
|first=Jill
|init=
|author-link=
|publisher=Adelaide Advertiser
|website=
|date=2007-11-12
|accessdate=2024-07-28
|quote=In the past financial year, 274 circumcisions were performed on children in the state's public hospitals. SA is the last state to take a stand against circumcision. "Both nationally and overseas, doctors agree there is no medical benefit to routine circumcision with the procedure as low as 2 per cent in the UK," Mr Hill said.
}}
* {{REFweb
|url=https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/childrens-rights
|title=Children's Rights
|last=Anonymous
|first=
|init=
|publisher=Australian Human Rights Commission
|date=2023-10-27
|accessdate=2024-02-06
}}
* {{REFweb
|url=https://www.cirp.org/library/legal/Australia/
|accessdate=2022-07-07
}}
* {{REFweb
|url=https://intactamerica.org/cultures-that-reject-circumcision/
|title=Cultures That Reject Circumcision—And Why They’re Right
|last=Alissa
|first=Kristel
|init=
|author-link=Kristel Alissa
|publisher=Intact America
|date=2025-02-23
|accessdate=2025-05-08
}}
{{REF}}
[[Category:Circumcision]]
[[Category:AustraliaCountry]][[Category:English-speaking nation]][[Category:Genital mutilation]]
[[Category:Statistics]]
[[Category:History]]
[[Category:Male circumcision]]
[[Category:Oceania]]
[[Category:Australia]]
[[de:Australien]]