Archbishop questions move to change age of consent

Sydney
18 May 2003

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Archbishop questions move to change age of consent

By Chris Lindsay

The NSW Government proposal to lower the age of consent for homosexual activity from 18 years to 16 years is ‘regrettable’, says the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr George Pell.

“Parliament should not enshrine the ideological claim that homosexual and heterosexual activity are morally equivalent,” he said.

“It sounds a wrong note and makes the task of parents more difficult.”

The legislation was introduced into the Lower House earlier this month by the Attorney General, Bob Debus.

Labor and Liberal members have been given a conscience vote on the issue.

National Party MPs have been ordered by their leaders to oppose the legislation.

Dr Pell said: “The legislation must ensure that predatory behaviour by older adults, whether homosexual or heterosexual, towards 16 and 17-year-olds is effectively prohibited and penalised.”

Parliament should consider raising the age of consent for all parties to 18 years of age instead, he said.

“The proposed legislation should be scrutinised carefully, and politicians should be encouraged to use their conscience vote wisely.”

Dr Pell has been supported in his stand by the Anglican Bishop of North Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies.

Dr Davies noted that the Mr Debus had claimed “it’s inconsistent and discriminatory for the age of consent for some sexual acts to be 18 and others 16”.

“But it’s also discriminatory,” the bishop said, “to have a law that allows teenagers to engage in sexual activity when other laws do not permit them to participate as equals in our community in certain areas of their lives.

“Sixteen-year-olds exercise very little autonomy; most of them are still at school, they are not permitted to vote, buy tobacco products or alcohol, join the armed forces or change their name.

“The reason we have these laws is because our society rightly recognises that children are vulnerable and need protection.

“Sixteen-year-olds are vulnerable to sexual predators as at this age they are still growing and developing into adult maturity, both physically and psychologically.

“Lowering the age of consent to 16 takes away the onus of responsibility on adults to act with integrity towards young people.

“The protection of children from sexual predators should surely be at the forefront of our concerns.”