Call for submissions on Tasmanian gay sex convictions expungement discussion paper
THE聽office of the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Commissioner聽is seeking submissions after releasing a discussion paper on the treatment of convictions for consensual sexual activity between adult males.
The results of the discussion paper’s submissions could lead to Tasmania legislating laws that would expunge historical convictions of consensual gay conduct between men before it was decriminalised in 1997.
The state’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Robin Banks said the legacy of an era in which homosexual acts were outlawed is something some Tasmanians still live with today.
“Some have been carrying the knowledge of their conviction with them for many years and it is appropriate that we now examine ways in those and related convictions can be permanently disregarded,” she said.
“This paper sets out the legal framework in which these convictions need to be understood. The issues are complex and require careful consideration.
“It is important that any process removes the continuing effect of conviction for actions that is no longer illegal, whilst ensuring that convictions for acts that remain unlawful are retained.”
The consists of consultation questions, background information on the law, options for “disregarding” past convictions, and more.
It has also been released聽just weeks after and passed laws that expunged historical consensual gay sex convictions in their states.
is also en route聽to expunge similar convictions聽after聽the country’s new Justice Minister last week announced she聽would look into it, effectively putting the issue back on the agenda after it was shelved earlier in the year.
Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner聽office invites written comments from Tasmanians and anyone around Australia affected by the Tasmanian laws by Friday, November 28. Submissions can be emailed to [email protected], with an attached聽Word document and with聽subject line: Historic Convictions Discussion Paper. Unless confidentiality is sought, submissions will be made public online.
Oh, just bloody do it, for goodness sake!
They’ll have a far bigger job to do than NSW and Vic stretching back to the convict days. Gay convicts were regarded as the lowest of the low and were transported to Tasmania so they wouldn’t “infect” anybody on the mainland.