Vic expunges historical gay sex conviction

The Victorian government will introduce laws to expunge convictions for consensual homosexual sex acts.

Victorians convicted for consensual homosexual acts will have their criminal records expunged.

Legislation will go before the state parliament this week to enable the historical convictions to be expunged.

The Liberal Hamer government decriminalised homosexual acts in Victoria in 1981.

Premier Denis Napthine said some in the community still suffered the effects of historical convictions for consensual acts that rightly were not considered a crime today.

"Consensual acts between two adult men should never have been a crime," he said on Tuesday.

"We are legislating for the law to recognise this."

Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews said the government had not briefed Labor on the details of the bill despite having more than enough time.

"Our position is on the public record about righting this wrong, but we need to see the detail," Mr Andrews told reporters.

"The notion that we're just going to sign up to things sight unseen, that is not going to happen."


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