To mark the 40th anniversary of decriminalisation of consensual homosexual sex, both houses of Parliament apologised for legislating these discriminatory and harmful laws. Criminal records plagued thousands of men for decades, with far reaching impacts on employment, relationships and privacy. The laws had a chilling effect for all LGBTIQA+ people, sending a message that their lives and their love was neither tolerated nor respected, and justifying hatred and violence towards them.

Decriminalisation was a milestone but LGBTIQA+ people also knew at the time that further reform was needed to achieve full equality. We’ve made lots of achievements but our legal system still discriminates, leaving LGBTQ students in private schools vulnerable to expulsion and trans people without accurate identity documents for example. I welcome the commitment from the Premier during debate and the Attorney General in response to my question in Parliament to work with me to progress reforms in my Equality Bill and I look forward to continuing this work over the coming months.

In 1984, LGBTIQA+ people’s message was the same as it is now: Get out of our bedrooms, get out of our pants and let us live our lives.

My speech during the apology motion > HERE and my question to the Attorney General about support for debate on my Equality Bill > HERE.