The NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby today welcomed the NSW Attorney General’s announcement of the Government’s intention to introduce legislation to equalise the age of consent for gay men and to remove other discriminatory aspects of the Crimes Act.

“This inequality is a carry over from the days before 1984, when all consensual sex between men was illegal in NSW. This reform is long overdue. NSW is the last State in Australia with an unequal age of consent,” stated GLRL Co-Convenor, Robert McGrory.

There is no recognised scientific evidence that an unequal age of consent offers any protection or other benefit to young gay men. In fact, research in this area has found that an unequal age of consent is actually harmful to young gay men, as it inhibits their access to educational, health and welfare services at a time when they need such services the most.

“It is disappointing that the major parties will be allowing their members a conscience vote on this issue. The health and welfare of young gay men in this State should be a matter of Government policy, not conscience,” commented Somali Cerise, GLRL Co-Convenor.

A large number of professional organisations have come out in support of equalizing the age of consent in NSW including the Australian Medical Association (AMA), NSW Council for Social Services (NCOSS), Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), Youth Action and Policy Association (YAPA) and the Law Society of NSW.

“This is not radical reform. It is a reform that will see NSW catch up with the other states of Australia and many other countries, which have an equal age of consent”, Robert McGrory said.