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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-05-04 Daily Xml
Contents
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Motions

Duncan, Dr G.I.O.

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter:

That this council—

1. Acknowledges that 10 May 2022 marks 50 years since the murder of Dr George Ian Ogilvie Duncan;

2. Notes the long-lasting impacts of Dr Duncan’s death on law reform and the LGBTIQ community;

3 Recognises the risks of discrimination and violence still faced by LGBTIQ people today; and

4. Resolves to continue to work toward safety and equality for all LGBTIQ people.

(Continued from 4 May 2022.)

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (16:43): I rise to indicate support for this motion and thank the honourable member for bringing it to the attention of the chamber. We do know that last year we commemorated the 50th anniversary since the murder of Dr George Ian Ogilvie Duncan, a very sad place in our history. Dr Duncan died on 10 May 1972. He was thrown into the River Torrens by a group of people understood to be police officers. His sad and tragic death triggered significant reforms in South Australia, becoming the first state to decriminalise homosexuality.

The murder drew significant media attention and public interest, especially amongst the gay rights movement. The Hon. Murray Hill, a former member of this place, a Liberal member of the Legislative Council, was the first ever member of the South Australian parliament to officially introduce a bill on 26 July 1972 to amend the Criminal Law Consolidation Act. In moving his bill, Mr Hill said that his decision to introduce the bill was because:

I represent the interests of people. I have stood up in this Chamber from time to time and made that claim. People come before all other 'interests'. In this issue, I am confronted with a minority of people whose cause to change the law here, as it was changed in England, is just and right. Irrespective of the severe personal criticism that I know will come from some members of the public, I cannot justify my claim to represent 'people' if I turn my back on this minority.

While Murray Hill's bill did not pass at the time, it forced the conversation that change is required and in 1975 the South Australian parliament passed the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Amendment Act 1975, making South Australia the first state to decriminalise homosexuality. In speaking to that, I commend the late Murray Hill for his trailblazing desire to improve the lives of gay people at that time. It has also led to a range of reforms in the LGBTIQA+ space over some 50-odd years and I will speak to some of those matters in the next motion that is before us in relation to IDAHOBIT.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. L.A. Henderson.

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