Gay sex law that convicted Wilde will be overturned

Laws that outlaw men kissing in public and criminalise homosexual behaviour in private homes will be repealed by the Government in a revamp of legislation against sexual offences. Ministers are preparing to announce that the Victorian criminal offence of gross indecency, which singles out gay men and which was used to prosecute Oscar Wilde, will be scrapped. They will also repeal the offence of buggery, as well as the crime of soliciting for an immoral purpose, which only applies to men

Ruddock adviser quits in disgust

One of the Howard Government’s most senior advisers on immigration resigned in disgust at the Government’s treatment of asylum seekers.

Neville Roach, appointed by the Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, to chair the Council for Multicultural Australia, said compassion seem[ed] to have been thrown out the door

Trumped up terrorism numbers

Is a drunk, rowdy passenger on an aeroplane a terrorist? Is a man who pushes a judge? They are according to annual reports from the Department of Justice. An investigation found that the department routinely overstates the number of terrorist arrests and convictions it makes every year. It does so, apparently, to cook the numbers for Congress, as a way to justify its annual $22-billion budget of which counter-terrorism is a part

Zambian judge blocks election result

Zambian High Court judge Peter Chitengi has barred the government from declaring a winner in the presidential election until he can rule on an opposition appeal after being forced to abandon the Supreme Court in Lusaka because of violent protests outside. Demonstrators and opposition groups are calling for fresh presidential elections, claiming last week’s poll was rigged