WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1991
CRIMES BILL DOES NOT ADVOCATE HOMOSEXUALITY
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THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON ALISTAIR ASPREY, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE CRIMES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1991 DOES NOT ADVOCATE OR SEEK TO ENCOURAGE HOMOSEXUALITY.
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SPEAKING IN THE SECOND READING DEBATE OF THE BILL IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR ASPREY STRESSED THAT
WAS THE GOVERNMENT CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO MAINTAIN STANDARDS OF PUBLIC DECENCY AND PROVIDE ADEQUATE SAFEGUARDS AGAINST THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CORRUPTION OF OTHERS, PARTICULARLY THE YOUNG AND THOSE WHO WERE OTHERWISE VULNERABLE.
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THE PROVISIONS IN THE BILL PROHIBITING THE PUBLIC DISPLAY OF ||OMOSEXUAL ACTS, THE CORRUPTION OF YOUNG PERSONS AND HOMOSEXUAL ACTS COMMITTED OTHER THAN IN PRIVATE, WOULD BE STRICTLY ENFORCED, HE SAID.
MR ASPREY POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS ALMOST A YEAR SINCE THE COUNCIL APPROVED A MOTION PROPOSING THAT MEASURES BE TAKEN TO REMOVE THE CRIMINAL PENALTIES RELATING TO HOMOSEXUAL ACTS COMMITTED IN PRIVATE BY CONSENTING MEN WHO HAD REACHED THE AGE OF 21 AND, TO EXTEND ΤΟ MEN AND BOYS, WHERE APPROPRIATE, THE PROTECTION FROM SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AFFORDED BY THE CRIMES ORDINANCE TO WOMEN AND GIRLS.
"THIS WAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION," HE SAID.
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REFERRING TO THE POINT MADE BY THE HON SELINA CHOW THAT SOME OF THE EXISTING PROVISIONS IN THE LAW RELATING TO HETEROSEXUAL OFFENCES MIGHT BE CONSIDERED TO BE OUTDATED, TO DUPLICATE ONE ANOTHER OR TO BE VIEW OTHERWISE ANOMALIES, MR ASPREY SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN THE THAT THE RECTIFICATION OF THESE ANOMALIES, IF INDEED THEY WERE ANOMALIES, SHOULD NOT DELAY IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BILL.
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"IT IS ALREADY A COMPLEX PIECE OF LEGISLATION," HE SAID, CONSIDERABLE DELAY WOULD BE LIKELY IF WE WERE TO EXTEND THE EXERCISE ENCOMPASS A THOROUGH REVIEW OF ALL SEXUAL OFFENCES COVERED BY CRIMES ORDINANCE.
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"WE SHALL, HOWEVER, REVIEW SEPARATELY THE POINTS RAISED BY AD HOC GROUP AND MENTIONED BY MRS CHOW, HE ADDED.
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