TASMANIA LEADS ON FINANCIAL REDRESS FOR VICTIMS OF FORMER ANTI-GAY & CROSS-DRESSING LAWS
Tasmania will become the first state to provide financial redress for people convicted under the state’s former laws against homosexuality and cross-dressing after legislation was introduced to State Parliament today.
The bill, tabled by the state government, provides for automatic payments of $15,000 for a charge, $45,000 for a conviction and $75,000 for a sentence including gaol time.
Equality Tasmania spokesperson, Rodney Croome, applauded the legislation.
“Many of those convicted under our old laws lost their job, family, friends, housing and many had to leave the state.”
“Financial redress will help make up for the pain and loss victims’ experienced, and send a message that the Tasmanian Government is taking responsibility for the injustice its predecessors inflicted.”
“It’s appropriate Tasmania leads the nation on this important reform because Tasmania was the last state to decriminalise homosexuality and the only state to criminalise cross-dressing."
A financial redress payment will be contingent on a successful application to expunge a criminal record for homosexuality or cross-dressing.
Financial redress was successfully proposed by the Tasmanian Greens with the support of Labor before the last state election.
Parliament's Gender and Equality Committee recommended the amounts that have been adopted by the Government in its legislation tabled today.
With support from all three parties and many cross-benchers the legislation is expected to pass the Lower House as early as this week.
Homosexuality was decriminalised in Tasmania in 1997. The law against cross-dressing, which was disproportionally enforced against transgender women, was repealed in 2000.
For a copy of this statement on the web, click here
For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.
