*Age Of
Consent & Legal Sexual Activity for the State of
1st October 2010 Email to Premier Anna Bligh and Attorney-General Cameron
Dick. Regarding the 2nd
June 2010 declaration by Queensland Council for Civil Liberties of support for
equal age of consent reform; also the impending 20th anniversary of
the “Sodomy Law”.
From: John Frame
[mailto:jvframe@ozemail.com.au]
Sent: Friday, 1 October 2010 2:34 PM
To: Attorney - SMTP; The Premier
Subject: Equal age of consent reform is now 20 years overdue in
Queensland
To Hon. Premier Anna Bligh and Hon. Attorney-General Cameron Dick
Dear Premier and Attorney-General,
A major contradiction exists in Queensland's new tourism slogan "Where Australia Shines", since it is the the only region in Australia which bothers to criminalise activity "where the sun don't shine".
Within every other state and territory the age of consent is truly equal, however Queensland's Criminal Code defines 16 as the minimum age for most consenting sex, and 18 for "sodomy". The penalty for any offender is up to 14 years gaol and the Courts do not accept "consent" as a defense.
November 2010 marks the 20th anniversary of "Homosexual Law Reform", which was passed by Goss Labor in a calculatedly faulty Bill which failed to implement the Parliamentary Criminal Justice Committee recommendation for true equality at 16. On 14th October I will be speaking on this issue at a Museum of Brisbane forum on community changes since the November 1990 passing of "The Criminal Code and Another Act Amendment Act No. 93".
Queensland Labor's Policy Platform includes a commitment to equality in laws related to age of consent, so I welcome the Government to take advantage of a positive public relations opportunity to immediately announce that Queensland will join the rest of Australia in allowing equal support and protection for all youth by enacting a truly equal age of consent. This is achieved by simply removing Section 208 from the Criminal Code.
The Queensland Council for Civil Liberties have declared their support for this reform, as per the 2nd June 2010 pdf file signed by their President Michael Cope:
http://www.queerradio.org/QCCL_Michael_Cope_2nd_June_2010.pdf
I welcome your action and response.
Yours sincerely,
John Frame
82 Main Ave., Wavell Hts 4012 Australia
Ph: (07) 3350 1562 / 0409 501 561
http://www.queerradio.org/AgeOfConsent.htm
---"There is no substitute for equality"---