*Age Of Consent &
Legal Sexual Activity for the State
of
1st October 2004 Letter from Health Minister, Gordon Nuttall, in which he expresses concern for risks presented to youth by the Sodomy Law, however he refers to the Department’s www.istaysafe.com website as if that site was a flagship for HIV/AIDS education and yet that site does not even mention anal intercourse (“sodomy”). Mr Nuttall states that the Department is about to launch into a major statewide school-based sexual health program – which will no doubt completely exclude sexual health matters related directly to anal intercourse. This is of extreme concern, considering that recent Australian research indicates that up to 4 % of all 16-19 year old Australian men and women choose to engage in anal intercourse (for various reasons). It is appalling that these youth will be deliberately denied life saving sexual health information.
Text as scanned from original letter stored as a jpg image HERE.
Queensland Government
GORDON NUTTALL MP
Minister for Health
Member for Sandgate
MI 123412
Mr J Frame
Queer Radio
4ZZZ
WAVELL HEIGHTS QLD 4102
Dear Mr Frame
Thank you for your email dated 25 August 2004, regarding Queensland laws relating to the age of consent for anal intercourse
Matters relating to the criminal code and the age of consent fall under the jurisdiction of my colleague the Honourable Judy Spence MP, Minister for Police and Corrective Services. I encourage you to write to her in relation to your specific concerns.
Queensland Health does share your concern relating to the risks of HJV/AIDS and other sexually transmissible infections to young people, and conducts a number of programs aimed at reducing risks to this vulnerable population. These include operation of the ISTAYSAFE website covering information for young people on sexual and reproductive health, and the employment of over 120 school based nurses throughout the State.
In 2004/5 Queensland Health will commence a joint program with Education Queensland on the development of a sexual health curriculum to cover both primary and secondary schools. This project is part of a larger joint work plan involving a number of key areas relevant to youth health such as alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, healthy weight and mental health. The program aims to ensure that young people are provided with information and skills to help them minimise the risks posed by these important health issues.
Should you have any queries regarding my advice to you, Mr Mark Counter, Principal Program Advisor, Sexual Health, Communicable Diseases Unit, will be pleased to assist you and can be contacted on telephone 3234 1155.
Yours sincerely
GORDON NUTTALL MP
Minister for Health
Member for Sandgate
Level
GPO
Queensland 4001
Telephone +617 3234 1291
Facsimile +61 7 3229 4731
Email health@ministerial.qld.gov.au
Website www.health.qld.gov.au