Tasmania has become the first state to pay financial compensation to people convicted under historic laws criminalising homosexuality and ‘cross-dressing’.

Tasmania will pay financial compensation to people convicted under historic laws criminalising homosexuality and ‘cross-dressing’.

It is the first Australian state or territory to do so.

The bill passed the Tasmanian Parliament with unanimous support this week.
Laws

Tasmania decriminalised homosexuality in 1997, the last state to do so.

Prior to that, men in same-sex relationships could face up to 21 years in prison — the harshest penalty in the Western world at the time.

That’s an impressive turn-around by Tasmania, mad respect.