*Age Of Consent & Legal Sexual Activity for the State of Queensland, Australia - A campaign to remove our Sodomy Law (which was enacted in 1990).

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17th November 2005 Email to Premier Peter Beattie referring to his statement in the ABC television special “Political Football” (17 Nov ’05:). In regard to his personal experience at a 1971 Springbok demonstration Mr. Beattie said: "It was one of those life-changing experiences where you just knew this was wrong". I urge Mr. Beattie to act on his convictions by enacting Sodomy Law Reform and in conclusion I state that: “Equity is the life-changing experience that every Queensland youth deserves - regardless of their gender or sexuality.”

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----- Original Message -----

From: John Frame

To: Premier Peter Beattie

Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2005 10:03 PM

Subject: Mr Beattie on life changing experiences

Dear Mr Beattie,

It was with some interest that I witnessed your comments on the ABC television program "Political Football" tonight.

In regard to your personal experience of the Springbok demonstration outside the Tower Mill you said: "It was one of those life-changing experiences where you just knew this was wrong".

This is exactly how I feel about your Government's refusal to act on reform of the Queensland Sodomy Law.

Of course you have a personal connection with this law's enactment, in that you specifically recommended against it in your October 1990 PCJC Report.

It is frustrating for me to be so acutely aware of that fact throughout the last five and a half years of lobbying you to act on reform, and yet to still have no clear expectation that reform will ever happen.

My disappointment is compounded by the fact that even the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commissioner has advised you that this law should be reformed as a matter of urgency because of its clearly discriminatory nature, its impact on relevant safe sex education and its consequent risk to the health and well-being of the state's youth.

You have repeatedly declined to take a personal role in the decision making on this reform and yet with many other matters you have been quick to contact mainstream media to announce your decision in directing law reform.

On 25th October 2005 Attorney General Linda Lavarch sent me a letter in which she acknowledges the opinion of the ADCQ Commissioner and states that “I agree that we need to ensure young people have access to safe sex information and that our laws operate fairly and justly. However, the issue of the age of consent is a vexed one and one in which there are deeply held and opposing views. The Government has no plans to alter the applicable law at this time.”

The mere fact of this being a "vexed" issue should not be allowed to delay action on reform. There will always be a handful of fundamentalist conservatives, who will resist reforming a law which was specifically designed to discriminate against homosexual youth. I am certain that the vast majority of the public will respond positively to the truth - that this is not just a matter of equity, but also a matter of life and death for some youth. There are no legitimate negatives involved in reforming this law. The only moral choice is to act toward urgent reform.

Equity is the life-changing experience that every Queensland youth deserves - regardless of their gender or sexuality.

I welcome your response.

Yours sincerely,

John

John Frame jvframe@ozemail.com.au
presenter of Queer Radio www.queerradio.org
on community radio 4ZZZ fm102.1 Brisbane, Australia
Home Ph: 07 3350 1562 / 0409 501 561
Post: 82 Main Avenue, Wavell Heights 4012, QLD, Australia.

Qld Age of Consent & Sodomy Law Reform webpages: www.queerradio.org/AgeOfConsent.htm

----"There is no substitute for equality"----