❓ Mr Barnett questions the Premier's support for lowering the age of consent for homosexual males. Dr Gallop supports the proposal to eliminate discrimination against gay and lesbian people, framing the issue as one of equality and avoiding criminalizing young people's sexual activity.
AnsweredQoN 516Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOMOSEXUALITY, AGE OF CONSENT
Will the Premier, as the holder of the highest political office in this State, advise this House whether he personally supports the proposal to lower the age of consent for homosexual males to 16 years? Dr GALLOP
Will the Premier, as the holder of the highest political office in this State, advise this House whether he personally supports the proposal to lower the age of consent for homosexual males to 16 years? Dr GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
I support the proposal that will come into this Parliament that will guarantee two things: firstly, there will not be discrimination against gay and lesbian people in Western Australia. We live in a community in which some people are different from other people. Those differences may vary and include the colour of their skin, their country of origin, their views on the world and their sexuality. It is most important that if we are to create a genuine community in Western Australia - no matter who people are and regardless of their background or sexuality - people should be given equal treatment in our society. Secondly, the question of whether it is right or wrong for people of a certain age to engage in particular activities is a matter for those people and their parents. I will ask the Leader of the Opposition: does the Leader of the Opposition believe that 16 and 17-year-old girls and boys in this State who engage in sexual activities should be treated as criminals? That is my question to the Leader of the Opposition. This is not a question about what should or should not happen with individuals; this is a question about whether young people of that age should be treated as criminals. That is what it is about. Mr McNee: You are about moral bankruptcy. Dr GALLOP: I will tell my friend, the member for Moore, that I am about guaranteeing equality under the law in Western Australia. The relationship between parents and their children is a matter for those parents and those children. It is not a matter for the law of this State to say to young people of that age that if they engage in certain activities they will be made criminals. That is what this issue is all about. It is about time my friend, the Leader of the Opposition, entered the modern world.
Dr GALLOP replied: I support the proposal that will come into this Parliament that will guarantee two things: firstly, there will not be discrimination against gay and lesbian people in Western Australia. We live in a community in which some people are different from other people. Those differences may vary and include the colour of their skin, their country of origin, their views on the world and their sexuality. It is most important that if we are to create a genuine community in Western Australia - no matter who people are and regardless of their background or sexuality - people should be given equal treatment in our society. Secondly, the question of whether it is right or wrong for people of a certain age to engage in particular activities is a matter for those people and their parents. I will ask the Leader of the Opposition: does the Leader of the Opposition believe that 16 and 17-year-old girls and boys in this State who engage in sexual activities should be treated as criminals? That is my question to the Leader of the Opposition. This is not a question about what should or should not happen with individuals; this is a question about whether young people of that age should be treated as criminals. That is what it is about. Mr McNee: You are about moral bankruptcy. Dr GALLOP: I will tell my friend, the member for Moore, that I am about guaranteeing equality under the law in Western Australia. The relationship between parents and their children is a matter for those parents and those children. It is not a matter for the law of this State to say to young people of that age that if they engage in certain activities they will be made criminals. That is what this issue is all about. It is about time my friend, the Leader of the Opposition, entered the modern world.
I support the proposal that will come into this Parliament that will guarantee two things: firstly, there will not be discrimination against gay and lesbian people in Western Australia. We live in a community in which some people are different from other people. Those differences may vary and include the colour of their skin, their country of origin, their views on the world and their sexuality. It is most important that if we are to create a genuine community in Western Australia - no matter who people are and regardless of their background or sexuality - people should be given equal treatment in our society. Secondly, the question of whether it is right or wrong for people of a certain age to engage in particular activities is a matter for those people and their parents. I will ask the Leader of the Opposition: does the Leader of the Opposition believe that 16 and 17-year-old girls and boys in this State who engage in sexual activities should be treated as criminals? That is my question to the Leader of the Opposition. This is not a question about what should or should not happen with individuals; this is a question about whether young people of that age should be treated as criminals. That is what it is about. Mr McNee: You are about moral bankruptcy. Dr GALLOP: I will tell my friend, the member for Moore, that I am about guaranteeing equality under the law in Western Australia. The relationship between parents and their children is a matter for those parents and those children. It is not a matter for the law of this State to say to young people of that age that if they engage in certain activities they will be made criminals. That is what this issue is all about. It is about time my friend, the Leader of the Opposition, entered the modern world.
Mr McNee: You are about moral bankruptcy. Dr GALLOP: I will tell my friend, the member for Moore, that I am about guaranteeing equality under the law in Western Australia. The relationship between parents and their children is a matter for those parents and those children. It is not a matter for the law of this State to say to young people of that age that if they engage in certain activities they will be made criminals. That is what this issue is all about. It is about time my friend, the Leader of the Opposition, entered the modern world.
Dr GALLOP: I will tell my friend, the member for Moore, that I am about guaranteeing equality under the law in Western Australia. The relationship between parents and their children is a matter for those parents and those children. It is not a matter for the law of this State to say to young people of that age that if they engage in certain activities they will be made criminals. That is what this issue is all about. It is about time my friend, the Leader of the Opposition, entered the modern world.
Dr GALLOP replied: I support the proposal that will come into this Parliament that will guarantee two things: firstly, there will not be discrimination against gay and lesbian people in Western Australia. We live in a community in which some people are different from other people. Those differences may vary and include the colour of their skin, their country of origin, their views on the world and their sexuality. It is most important that if we are to create a genuine community in Western Australia - no matter who people are and regardless of their background or sexuality - people should be given equal treatment in our society. Secondly, the question of whether it is right or wrong for people of a certain age to engage in particular activities is a matter for those people and their parents. I will ask the Leader of the Opposition: does the Leader of the Opposition believe that 16 and 17-year-old girls and boys in this State who engage in sexual activities should be treated as criminals? That is my question to the Leader of the Opposition. This is not a question about what should or should not happen with individuals; this is a question about whether young people of that age should be treated as criminals. That is what it is about. Mr McNee: You are about moral bankruptcy. Dr GALLOP: I will tell my friend, the member for Moore, that I am about guaranteeing equality under the law in Western Australia. The relationship between parents and their children is a matter for those parents and those children. It is not a matter for the law of this State to say to young people of that age that if they engage in certain activities they will be made criminals. That is what this issue is all about. It is about time my friend, the Leader of the Opposition, entered the modern world.
I support the proposal that will come into this Parliament that will guarantee two things: firstly, there will not be discrimination against gay and lesbian people in Western Australia. We live in a community in which some people are different from other people. Those differences may vary and include the colour of their skin, their country of origin, their views on the world and their sexuality. It is most important that if we are to create a genuine community in Western Australia - no matter who people are and regardless of their background or sexuality - people should be given equal treatment in our society. Secondly, the question of whether it is right or wrong for people of a certain age to engage in particular activities is a matter for those people and their parents. I will ask the Leader of the Opposition: does the Leader of the Opposition believe that 16 and 17-year-old girls and boys in this State who engage in sexual activities should be treated as criminals? That is my question to the Leader of the Opposition. This is not a question about what should or should not happen with individuals; this is a question about whether young people of that age should be treated as criminals. That is what it is about. Mr McNee: You are about moral bankruptcy. Dr GALLOP: I will tell my friend, the member for Moore, that I am about guaranteeing equality under the law in Western Australia. The relationship between parents and their children is a matter for those parents and those children. It is not a matter for the law of this State to say to young people of that age that if they engage in certain activities they will be made criminals. That is what this issue is all about. It is about time my friend, the Leader of the Opposition, entered the modern world.
Mr McNee: You are about moral bankruptcy. Dr GALLOP: I will tell my friend, the member for Moore, that I am about guaranteeing equality under the law in Western Australia. The relationship between parents and their children is a matter for those parents and those children. It is not a matter for the law of this State to say to young people of that age that if they engage in certain activities they will be made criminals. That is what this issue is all about. It is about time my friend, the Leader of the Opposition, entered the modern world.
Dr GALLOP: I will tell my friend, the member for Moore, that I am about guaranteeing equality under the law in Western Australia. The relationship between parents and their children is a matter for those parents and those children. It is not a matter for the law of this State to say to young people of that age that if they engage in certain activities they will be made criminals. That is what this issue is all about. It is about time my friend, the Leader of the Opposition, entered the modern world.
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