Qld Govt to change 'gay panic' defence

Queensland Attorney-General, Paul Lucas, has announced that the State Government is set to change the Criminal Code to remove doubts about how and when a partial defence involving a sexual advance can be used and remove doubts about the so-called "gay panic" defence.

Mr Lucas said the Government had received a recommendation from a special committee to consider the matter.

Mr Lucas said the Criminal Code currently contained a partial defence of provocation which could be used to reduce a conviction from murder to manslaughter where a defendant claimed they were provoked into committing the act.

He said members of the community had recently raised concerns that this could be used to establish a so-called "gay-panic defence", where defendant claimed the victim made a homosexual advance towards them and provoked them into committing the act.

Mr Lucas said the State Government would introduce a Bill to Parliament this year and called on Campbell Newman to provide bi-partisan support.