Manurewa MP Louisa Wall spoke in support of the bill allowing convictions of men for homosexual offences to be wiped from the records, but highlighted the lack of compensation for those convicted for homosexual acts under the 1961 Crimes Act, which outlawed male sex whether it was consensual or not.
"We should never have been criminals," Ms Wall told parliament yesterday. "We should have never endured... what that criminality said to ourselves and also said to society."
Justice Minister Andrew Little apologised to the men “who have carried the stigma and shame of doing nothing”. (Source: Other)
She said she stood "proudly" to "end what I am going to label a crime against humanity".
"It's acts that are deliberately committed as part of a widespread, or systemic attack, or individual attack directed against any civilian or identifiable part of a civilian population."
"We are here today, because we are ending the remnants of state sponsored homophobia."
The apology marked the introduction of long-awaited legislation that'll allow their offences to be wiped. (Source: Other)
Ms Wall said the importance of the recent apology given to those convicted could not "be underestimated", however despite many submissions that were made during the bill's progress through parliament, the men would not be compensated.
"I do want to highlight that in other jurisdictions they have actually compensated people," she said, and used Canada and Germany as an example.
Justice Minister Andrew Little had said previously people would not be compensated .
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