Decriminalisation of Homosexuality 50th Anniversary - Motion
Wednesday 20 August 2025
S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (11:30): I move:
That this house—
(a) recognises that 2025 is the 50-year anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in South Australia;
(b) acknowledges the leadership of Premier Don Dunstan and Attorney-General Peter Duncan in ensuring South Australia was the first Australian jurisdiction to undertake this important reform;
(c) celebrates South Australia as being at the forefront of progressive reform in Australia; and
(d) remembers the sacrifices of the LGBTIQA+ community in ensuring this reform, particularly the late George Duncan.
I rise today to mark an important anniversary in the history of our state and our nation. This year, 2025, represents 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in South Australia—a reform that placed our state at the forefront of progressive change in Australia and sent a clear message that discrimination and prejudice have no place in our laws. It is fitting that we recognise the leadership of Premier Don Dunstan and Attorney-General Peter Duncan in bringing this reform to fruition in 1975. Their commitment to equality and justice was steadfast, even in the face of resistance. They demonstrated that political courage can achieve profound and lasting change.
South Australia has long been a leader in progressive reform, from being the first place in the world to grant women the right to vote and stand for parliament to advancing Aboriginal land rights, to being the first jurisdiction in the nation to recognise the dignity and rights of LGBTIQA+ people. These milestones reflect the values that underpin our state: fairness, equality and respect for all.
In commemorating this anniversary, we must acknowledge the sacrifices of the LGBTIQA+ community, whose determination and resilience made this reform possible. For too many, the years prior to 1975 were marked by fear, injustice and stigma. People risked their careers, their safety and their relationships simply to live authentically. We particularly remember the late Dr George Duncan, a respected academic, whose death in 1972 in a suspected hate crime shocked our state and became a catalyst for reform. While justice for Dr Duncan was never fully realised in the courts, his name became synonymous with the movement for equality and the demand that our laws protect—not persecute—our citizens.
The passage of the decriminalisation legislation in 1975 was not the conclusion of this struggle. In the 50 years since, the fight for full equality has continued through the recognition of same-sex relationships, marriage equality, antidiscrimination protections and greater visibility in public life. Yet our work is not finished. Discrimination persists and prejudice can still be found both overtly and subtly in our communities. For instance, the use of a homophobic slur by our role models, despite having extensive training, and knowing the consequences, can change the trajectory of how someone perceives their value as a human being, and it can therefore change their life. Words matter.
This anniversary serves as both a moment of celebration and a reminder of our ongoing responsibility to ensure that equality is a lived reality for every South Australian. As we honour this milestone, we recommit ourselves to the principle that no-one should have to hide who they are to be safe, respected and free. We reaffirm the belief that love in all its forms is a fundamental human right. Fifty years on, South Australia can be proud of its legacy in leading this historic reform. Fifty years on, we commit to continuing this leadership with compassion, with justice and with the unwavering conviction that progress must never stand still. I commend this motion to the house.
