Northern Territory Attorney-General Natasha Fyles

New Act Provides Pathway To Right Past Wrongs

Victor P Taffa

Expungement of Historical Homosexual Offence Records Act 2018 commences today, offering Territorians the right to apply to have their historical homosexual criminal records expunged.

“Territorians deserve a legal system they can trust, a system that supports changing community attitudes.” Attorney-General Natasha Fyles said.

“Northern Territory Government has listened to the community and introduced legislation to better reflect those attitudes.”

Move is part of ongoing reforms across all jurisdictions in Australia regarding historical homosexual criminal records.

Applicants will need to provide basic personal details and information about the convictions or charges to assist with the assessment process. The free scheme only applies to charges or convictions recorded in the Northern Territory.

Records of an expunged charge or conviction do not show up on a Police History Check. Consensual homosexual sex was a crime in the Northern Territory until 1984.