Campaign for Age Of Consent awareness & removal of The Sodomy Law in Queensland

*Age Of Consent & Legal Sexual Activity for the State of Queensland, Australia - A campaign to remove our Sodomy Law (which was enacted in 1990).

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28th October 2002 Letter to Attorney General Rod Welford, with attached copy of 28th October 2002  letter to Premier Peter Beattie requesting a meeting with both himself and the Premier by a delegation in order to discuss rapid implementation of the recommendations made in the October 1990 Report by the (Labor majority) Parliamentary Criminal Justice Committee Report “Reforms in Laws Relating to Homosexuality – an Information Paper” The Report had recommended that no higher age be set for any sexual activity and that the age of consent should apply equally to both men and women, regardless of their sexual orientation.

The following is a full transcript.

 

To:                  Attorney-General Rod Welford MP

                        GPO Box 149

Brisbane 4001

 

Date:               28th October 2002

 

From:              John Frame

(presenter for 9 years of Radio 4ZZZ’s  gay support radio program Queer Radio)

82 Main Avenue,

Wavell Heights 4012.

Ph: 3350 1562 / 0409 501 561

 

Re:                  Attached copy of a letter to Premier Peter Beattie requesting a meeting with our delegation.

 

Dear Mr Welford,

 

As per the attached letter, I am requesting a meeting with yourself and The Premier by a delegation of representatives of gay community and youth support services in order to discuss the overdue amendment of the law in line with the recommendations made by the Queensland Parliamentary Criminal Justice Committee’s report entitled “Reforms in Laws Relating to Homosexuality – An Information Paper” (Report No 2, October 1990).

 

That Committee was Chaired by (current Premier) Peter Beattie and another Committee member was (now Health Minister) Wendy Edmond. These eminent persons presented a detailed Report which recommended the full implementation of unequivocal equal treatment under the law of both men and women, regardless of their sexual orientation.

 

Because the Parliament of November 1990 insisted on compromising the Committee’s recommendations, we have since had a situation where 16 and 17 year old men, in particular, face criminal punishment for consenting sexual activity.

 

The very recent reform of law in Western Australia to an “across the board” age of consent of 16 is in line with law reform in the United Kingdom. In both cases the arguments for a higher age of consent for anal intercourse were totally rejected, just as they should have been in Queensland.

 

This is an opportunity for Queensland to fall in line with the socially progressive states South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria and the ACT.

 

We look forward to meeting with you and with the Premier so that we may discuss a rapid and politically expedient progression toward achieving the reform recommended by Labor’s own Committee Members in 1990.

 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

John Frame.