Amy Remeikis reports in the Brisbane Times (22.3.16) on apparent delays in the state government updating laws relating to the age of consent for certain sex acts.
‘The Palaszczuk Government has taken more than six months to bring a discriminatory Queensland law that has stood on the law books since 1899 to the consultation phase, with any action likely to still be months away.
‘Queensland stands alone as the only Australian state to differentiate between age of consent for anal sex, called sodomy in the legislation after the Borbidge Government changed it from “anal intercourse” in 1996, and vaginal intercourse.
‘Despite a uniform age of consent in every other state, Queensland lawfully allows consensual vaginal intercourse at 16, while consensual anal sex does not become lawful until 18.’