Significant developments in social history sometimes happen through law reform. Arguably, New Zealand’s most significant example is that it was the first country to pass legislation to grant all women the right to vote, in 1893.

Often, however, New Zealand was not first but a slow follower.

Homosexual law reform is an example of the latter. Forty years ago, on July 9 1986, the House of Representatives passed – narrowly – the Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986.

It broadly legalised consensual sexual practices between men, as well as consensual anal sex regardless of the partners’ gender. It essentially removed the criminal law from a private space where people expressed their sexuality and love.

But it would take decades for the government to recognise that the previous law required an apology to those convicted, and even today issues remain.

History of homosexual law reform

Criminalisation went back to the start of governance of New Zealand by the Crown. At first, English law came across, and then New Zealand began to pass its own statutes.

The Offences Against the Person Act 1867 set life imprisonment for “the unnatural offence”, which covered any form of anal intercourse and also bestiality. Similar offences were re-enacted in the Criminal Code Act 1893 and the Crimes Act 1908.

New Zealand’s main criminal statute now is the Crimes........

© The Conversation