Removing historical convictions for homosexual offences:
have your say
The Justice and Electoral committee is inviting public submissions on the Criminal Records (Expungement of Convictions
for Historical Homosexual Offences) Bill. The bill accompanies the apology made by the House of Representatives on 6 July to those homosexual New Zealanders who were convicted for consensual
adult activity before the law changed in 1986.
The bill would allow a person convicted of specified historical homosexual offences — or a representative, if the person
has died — to apply to the Secretary of Justice to have the conviction expunged. The application will not require an
oral hearing, and will not be made public.
The conviction will be expunged if the Secretary is satisfied that the conduct, if engaged in at the time of the
application, would not be an offence under the laws of New Zealand. Once expunged, the conviction will be removed from
the person’s criminal record and will not appear on any criminal history check in New Zealand.
Tell the Justice and Electoral Committee what you think
Send your submission on the bill by midnight on 18 August 2017.
For more details about the bill:
• What’s been said in Parliament about the bill? (video) (transcript)
ENDS