Parliament has changed the law so New Zealand men with historical homosexual convictions can have them wiped from their criminal records. Consensual sex between men aged 16 and over was decriminalised in 1986, but convictions for offences before that time remained on record and could appear in criminal history checks.
The bill was introduced in 2017 by the National Goverment Justice Minster, Amy Adams and then Andrew Little, Labour Government Justice Minister continued the process.
Little in parliament said.
“I would like to apologise again to all the men and members of the Rainbow Community who have been affected by the prejudice, stigma and other negative effects caused by convictions for historical homosexual offences.
“This Bill sends a clear signal that discrimination against gay people is no longer acceptable and that we are committed to putting right, wrongs from the past.”
- Radio NZ Audio
- New Zealand Parliament: Criminal Records (Expungement of Convictions for Historical Homosexual Offences) Bill
- Ministry of Justice: Wiping historical homosexual convictions
.@kateniwi @1NewsNZ on yesterday's historic expungement of unjust historical homosexual convictions. More at: https://t.co/SzKJHqk4Tm pic.twitter.com/gZWufr2QJh
— Andrew Little (@AndrewLittleMP) April 3, 2018
Fantastic to watch this debate in Parliament tonight completing the process of providing for expungement of criminal convictions for being gay. Thank you to all MPS!
— Kevin Hague (@KevinHague) April 3, 2018
Today the Criminal Records (expungement of convictions for historical homosexual offences) Bill has passed its third reading.
Today we are sorry 👨❤️👨👩❤️💋👩👬👭🌈✨ pic.twitter.com/dHog5uwHou
— Andrew Little (@AndrewLittleMP) April 3, 2018
Shedding a few tears as I watch the wonderful @janlogie speak on the final reading of the bill expunging historic homosexual convictions. “To be who you are and love who you love” 💕🌈 pic.twitter.com/vXkytFVeta
— Mojo Mathers (@mojomathers) April 3, 2018
