Queensland Finally Abolished An Archaic Law That Discriminated Against The LGBTI Community

Here’s a little known fact: up until yesterday Queensland had a different legal age of consent depending on what kind of sexual activity was being engaged in. The age of consent for most sexual activity was 16, but for anal sex it was 18. The law pretty clearly discriminated against sections of the LBGTI community, and last night it was finally scrapped by the Queensland parliament.

Engaging in consensual anal sex was illegal in Queensland up until 1990, but the age of consent laws, which have been on the books for over 100 years, were never changed. Queensland is the last state in the country to have uniform age of consent laws. Up until last night young Queenslanders faced up to 14 years in jail for engaging in anal sex.

The Labor government put forward the laws, after consultation with health and legal experts, and they passed with the support of independent MP’s and 28 Liberal National Party MPs. The remaining LNP members didn’t show up to vote. The only MPs to vote against the bill were Robbie Katter and Shane Knuth from Katter’s Australia Party.

Today #Qld Parliament passed legislation to equalise age of consent for lawful sexual contact #equality #thisisLabor pic.twitter.com/Q3QHIMGain

— Cameron Dick (@camerondickqld) September 15, 2016

“By removing anachronistic value laden language and ensuring equality in the age of consent, the bill will not only improve sexual health outcomes, but also mental health outcomes for young Queenslanders,” said the Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick.

The Queensland AIDS Council executive director Michael Scott said, “We were concerned that with the inequality of age of consent, young people who are sexually active are reluctant to access sexual health services including HIV and other STI testing and preventative health education for fear of being prosecuted.”

It’s a great step forward for Queensland, if a very overdue one.