Morrison stands by Katherine Deves and wrongly claims ‘young adolescents’ can have gender confirmation surgery

Warringah candidate backtracks on apology for comments about transgender children and insists that mutilation' is correct terminology for the surgery

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
• Read our latest election briefing and listen to today's campaign catchup podcast
• Election 2022 seat explorer; Pork-o-meter election promises tracker
• Guardian Australia's full federal election coverage
• Get our free news app; get our morning email briefing

Scott Morrison has claimed that gender reversal surgery for young adolescents" is a significant issue" - before conceding that gender confirmation is not available to children in Australia.

The prime minister made the remarks on Tuesday while responding tothe Liberal candidate Katherine Deves walking back her apology for offensive comments about transgender children. She insisted that mutilation" was the correct terminology for gender reassignment surgery.