Gay age of consent bill passed
Updated
The right of gay men to legally have sex at 16 will now be enshrined in law, after a Government bill passed the NSW Upper House tonight.
Labor and Liberal MPs were allowed a conscience vote on the issue, with the bill passing 23 to 16.
It will lower the age of consent for gay men to bring it into line with heterosexuals, and pulls NSW into line with all other states in Australia.
Labor MPs Tony Kelly and Eddie Obeid voted against the bill.
The announcement brought cheers from the packed public gallery.
Topics: state-parliament, gays-and-lesbians, laws, nsw
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