*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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25th October 2005 Letter from Attorney-General Linda Lavarch, in reply to my 29th July 2005 email in which I had referred to the letters by ADCQ Commissioner Susan Booth15th July 2005, Brisbane PFLAG 14th July 2005 and I also welcomed a favourable response the Parliamentary E-Petition which was just about to close at that time.

In this letter the Attorney-General acknowledges the key points and correspondence, but advises:

“I agree that we need to ensure young people have access to safe sex information and that our laws operate fairly and justly. However, the issue of the age of consent is a vexed one and one in which there are deeply held and opposing views. The Government has no plans to alter the applicable law at this time.”

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for a jpg image of the original letter go to: www.queerradio.org/AOC251005.jpg

Queensland Government

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice

The Honourable Linda Lavarch MP

Member for Kurwongbah

In reply please quote: 2005/04500 J/05/03539

25 OCT 2005

Mr J Frame

82 Main Avenue

WAVELL HEIGHTS QLD 4012

Dear Mr Frame

Thank you for your email dated 29 July 2005 seeking amendment to Queensland's sodomy laws to, in effect, reduce the age of consent for anal intercourse from 18 years to 16 years.

The Criminal Code provides that the age of consent is 16 years in relation to vaginal intercourse but 18 years in relation to anal intercourse. You argue that the current laws place the health and welfare of many youth at increased risk of HIV infection, of self-harm and of suicide. You are aware that I have received correspondence on this issue from the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner and from PFLAG and you were the principal petitioner for the recent Parliament of Queensland E-Petition on this issue which was received by the House on 10 August 2005.

I agree that we need to ensure young people have access to safe sex information and that our laws operate fairly and justly. However, the issue of the age of consent is a vexed one and one in which there are deeply held and opposing views. The Government has no plans to alter the applicable law at this time.

Yours sincerely

Hon Linda Lavarch MP

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice

18^th Floor State Law Building

50 Ann Street St Brisbane

GPO Box 149 Brisbane

Queensland 4001 Australia

Telephone +61 3239 3478

Facsimile +61 3220 2475

Email attorney@ministerial.qld.gov.au

Web www.justice.qld.gov.au