Nile to chair provocation committee
Christian Democrats MLC Fred Nile will chair a parliamentary select committee set to review laws which allow people charged with murder to use the ‘gay panic’ defence.
The committee, set up to look at the broader use of provocation as a partial murder defence, is calling for submissions by August 10.
The NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby has welcomed the inquiry, and said it was “not overly concerned” Nile – a longtime opponent of LGBTI reforms – would chair the committee.
“We will put forward our arguments and we’ll see how other people on the committee respond,” outgoing Lobby senior policy advisor Senthorun Raj said.
“We hope the committee will recommend to remove this provision.”
Although the gay panic defence has not been successfully used recently, the possibility still remains in law.
