Tasmania’s gay activists have marked the tenth anniversary of gay law reform by calling on other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Australians to join them in celebrating how much Tasmania has changed since it became the last Australian state to decriminalize homosexuality on 1 May 1997, and to reflect on the lessons this change holds for the rest of the nation. Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said that since 1997 Tasmania has rapidly moved from having the worst laws and attitudes on homosexuality to having some of the best.
1988 – Beginning of gay law reform debate with 130 people arrested at Salamanca Market defending a gay law reform stall banned by the Hobart City Council, Tasmanian Premier declares homosexuals not welcome in Tasmania
1991 – Rallies for and against reform, rejection of State Government’s gay law reform legislation by the Upper House 15 votes to 4 accompanied by calls for the police to ‘track down and wipe out homosexuals’
1991 – Appeal to the UN Human Rights Committee launched
1994 – UN appeal successful, rallies for and against reform, Amnesty International launches international letter-writing campaign, Education Department bans all discussion of homosexuality in schools, State Government bans the first gay and lesbian film festival, British press labels Tasmania ‘Bigot’s Island, gay men hand over statutory declarations to the police admitting to sexual activity, boycott of Tasmanian produce launched, Federal Government passes overriding legislation
1995 – Appeal launched to High Court to have overriding legislation enforced
1997 – High Court agrees to hear the case, Upper House votes for reform by margin of one vote
1998 – Ban on discussion on homosexuality in schools lifted and replaced with Australia’s best policies on class-room homophobia
1999 – Tasmania passes Australia’s best anti-discrimination laws
2000 – Official Tasmania Together social blueprint commits the state to eliminating sexuality discrimination and abuse by 2020
2001 – Tasmania’s strict laws against cross-dressing, the only ones of their kind in Australia, are repealed.
2003 – Three Tasmanian gay law reform activists honoured with Orders of Australia, Tasmania adopts Australia’s first relationships registry
2005 – Australia Institute survey shows Tasmania still has high levels of homophobia, State Government funds cutting-edge GLBTI counselling and education organisation, Working It Out
2006 – Australia’s largest-ever anti-homophobia radio campaign conducted in Tasmania
2007 – Government funds roll-out of anti-homophobia program to all secondary schools, Tasmanian relationships registry endorsed by Victorian Government and Federal Opposition.
