Queensland won’t wipe recent sodomy charges
Image: Queensland Premier Anastacia Palaszczuk (Image source: ABC TV)
AS Queensland moves to expunge historical gay sex convictions, the state government has said it won鈥檛 wipe charges for people convicted of anal sex offences before the age of consent was lowered to 16.
The Palaszczuk government last month to the hundreds of Queenslanders who were convicted for gay sex before the law was changed in 1991.
The age of consent for 鈥渟odomy鈥� was lowered last year from 18 to 16, in line with the general age of consent, following lobbying by LGBTI rights groups.
The government has stated that people convicted of sodomy offences between 1991 and last year will not have their records expunged, has reported.
Attorney-General Yvette D鈥橝th said the new bill to wipe historical convictions will retain the age of consent of 18, which was the law when gay sex was decriminalised.
鈥淭his retains the expungement scheme鈥檚 nexus with the decriminalisation of consensual adult homosexual activity and confirms that the scheme is only applicable to homosexual charges and convictions,鈥� said D鈥橝th when introducing the bill.
Justice and Attorney-General Department principal legal officer Sarah Kay reiterated on Wednesday that the expungements will not cover convictions between 1991 and 2016.
鈥淭he age of consent changes at various times in different jurisdictions for various reasons but this bill isn鈥檛 actually addressing differences in the age of consent, it鈥檚 addressing the decriminalisation of homosexuality,鈥� she said.
鈥淚f we extended the scheme up to 2016 it would encompass people who may perhaps actually be currently serving sentences of imprisonment.
鈥淲e could exclude heterosexual convictions but that may be unfair.鈥�
Under the new bill, people convicted of gay sex offences before 1991 can apply to have their convictions wiped.
The bill is still before a parliamentary committee.
