*Age Of Consent & Legal Sexual Activity for the State of
30th
November 2007 Email
to Premier Anna Bligh re her ABC Radio 612 dismissal, earlier this day, of my
own question on the issue of Equal Age Of Consent Reform. On
the eve of World AIDS Day, I particularly wanted The Premier to address the
fact that the current law actively impedes adequate relevant safe sex education
for 16 and 17 year olds. Sadly ABC presenter Madonna King allowed The Premier
to get away with an answer which was pure obfuscation.
Listen to the question and
response here as an mp3 ( 570k,
1m 40s). Please note: Madonna
King did her level best to sabotage my question. On 26 October 2007 I had
spoken off-air only with her show’s
producer and I was advised that they do not allow more than one question to the
Premier on any one topic – and that my only option would be to phone back on 30
November and take my chances with every other caller at getting to put my
question to the Premier.
I had asked:
"Regarding the fact that
Queensland, since 2003, it's been the only state or territory Australia
which has an unequal age of consent and that leaves Queensland's 16 and 17 year
olds in a situation where they're not getting adequate relevant safe sex
education, why is the Queensland Government not willing to change the law so
that Queensland 16 and 17 year olds are treated with equal protection, equal
support - especially regarding HIV infection - as is every other youth around
Australia?"
NB: I had clearly stated that 16
and 17 year old youth were not getting “adequate relevant” safe sex education –
I did not say that the current law blocks all safe sex education. It
seems clear from the experience of both Peter R. On 26
October 2007 and myself on this day, that Premier Bligh cannot be expected
to give a straight answer to any question on this issue.
-----
Original Message -----
From: John
Frame
To: ThePremier@premiers.qld.gov.au
Cc: Attorney@ministerial.qld.gov.au
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 3:10 PM
Subject: Premier Bligh on Madonna King show
30th Nov '07
To Premier
Anna Bligh
C.c. to
Attorney-General Kerry Shine (re Qld Criminal Law in need of reform)
Dear Ms
Bligh,
Today I
asked you the following question on the Madonna King Show on ABC612 local
radio:
"Regarding
the fact that Queensland, since 2003, it's been the only state or
territory Australia which has an unequal age of consent and that leaves
Queensland's 16 and 17 year olds in a situation where they're not getting
adequate relevant safe sex education, why is the Queensland Government not
willing to change the law so that Queensland 16 and 17 year olds are treated
with equal protection, equal support - especially regarding HIV infection - as
is every other youth around Australia?"
I wasn't
given the opportunity to ask for further details on air, but I believe that you
failed to address the question of why
Also in
your response you expressed your personal opinion that you believe that
youth are already getting enough safe sex support in schools. While that
may be true for a minority of youth - perhaps heterosexual youth attending
enlightened private schools - it needs to be made true for all students.
The current
Criminal Law defines anal intercourse as an extreme criminal activity for
16 and 17 year olds, punishable by up to 14 years gaol - with
"consent" being considered irrelevant in the courts. The impact of
that criminality is that there is virtually no mention in school based sex-ed
or relationships classes of this sexual activity - let alone mention of
safe sexual practice in that regard.
La
The current
law also directly affects the level of expressed acceptance and inclusion of
same sex attracted youth in relationships education, as well as in sex
education. I bet that you would struggle to find same sex attracted
It is of
utmost importance that ALL youth be adequately supported and protected under
the law. They need to be equal under the law, first and foremost, in order
to expect to be treated equally by family, friends and society.
How does
your Government justify leaving young lives at risk of HIV, as well as abuse,
self-harm, depression and suicide? What do you stand to lose by reforming this
law - a law which, based on a Fitzgerald Report
recommendation, should never have even been passed in
1990.
I welcome
your response or query.
Yours
sincerely,
John Frame
jvframe@ozemail.com.au
Ph: 07 3350 1562 / mobile: 0409 501 561
Post:
----"There is no substitute for equality"----