Gay offences expunged

Wellington: Legislation to allow gay men convicted of homosexual offences to have them expunged from their records has been introduced to Parliament.

It is the first expungement scheme for New Zealand and will allow men convicted of specific offences that were decriminalised in 1986 to apply to have the detail wiped from their criminal record.

The expungement decision will be made on a casebycase basis by the Secretary of Justice, who will determine whether the conduct the person was charged over would still be illegal today.