A show of hands please:
Most members of the public mistakenly believe that all sex between men under 18 is illegal. This has been reinforced not only by the Courier Mail but also by the Queensland Government's own information sources.
The Attorney-General has recently made a clear written statement that, for everyone, the Sodomy Law prohibits anal intercourse involving anyone under 18, but that 16 is the age of consent for all other sexual activities.
However, the Attorney-General, Family Services and Health Departments have advised that they will not consider any Government-funded distribution of this information.
In a telephone conversation with my local MLA, Terry Sullivan on 3rd August 2000, Terry told me that if there is no indication of popular support within the gay community itself, for accurate education of the public, then certainly no Member of the State Government is likely to put their neck on the line to act.
So, the simple question is:
Should accurate information about legal sexual activity involving 16 and 17 year-old persons be readily available &/or accessible to the general public?
Please email a response, however brief.
A file of correspondence is at
www.queerradio.org/AgeOfConsent.htm. Still awaiting a letter of confirmation from the Health Minister and a legal opinion from the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commission Tribunal.