NSW Government Apologises For Unjust Laws That Criminalised Gay Sex, 40 Years After Decriminalisation
“We’re sorry for every person convicted under legislation that should never have existed.” – NSW Premier Chris Minns
On Thursday, NSW Premier Chris Minns formally apologised on behalf of the government to people convicted under discriminatory laws that criminalised homosexual acts. The apology comes 40 years after NSW decriminalised gay sex in 1984.
Minns acknowledged the parliament’s role in enacting and endorsing policies that persecuted and harmed people based on their sexuality and gender. He recognised there is still much work to be done to ensure equal rights for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
The premier apologised to every life damaged, diminished, or destroyed by these unjust laws. “To those who survived these terrible years, and to those who never made it through, we are truly sorry,” Minns said.
Wran Legislation Changed Laws in 1984
On May 18, 1984, the Crimes (Amendment) Bill 1984, introduced by Labor premier Neville Wran, passed parliament. The legislation removed the “Unnatural offences” section from the Crimes Act 1900, which punished anyone who committed the “abominable crime of buggery … with mankind” with at least five years in jail.
NSW was the fifth state or territory to decriminalise homosexual activity in Australia, following South Australia, the ACT, Victoria, and the NT. In 2014, the Baird government changed the law to allow historical homosexual offences to be extinguished.
Opposition Leader Apologises for Laws That Deemed “Gays and Lesbians Were Lesser People”
Opposition Leader Mark Speakman apologised for laws that forced gays and lesbians to stay in the shadows instead of being embraced as part of a diverse community. He said the law change signaled the “rightful removal of shame.”
Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich, the only openly gay member of the NSW Legislative Assembly, hopes the government will back up the apology with action. Greenwich has put forth an “equality bill” that includes prohibiting religious schools from firing LGBTQIA+ teachers and preventing students from being expelled for coming out as gay.
“This in itself shows how much work we need to do,” Greenwich said in parliament.
