Flashback: On the cusp of marriage equality 30 years after homosexuality was ‘moral decay’

MARRIAGE Equality is on the cusp of becoming a reality in Australia. But it wasn’t that long ago that Queensland’s leaders were calling homosexuality part of a “campaign of moral decay”.

Parliament House is seen through a rainbow flag during a rally in support of same sex marriage outside Parliament House in Canberra, Tuesday, September 12, 2017. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING

IN just six weeks, the people of Australia will have spoken over whether marriage equality will be a reality.

Forms for the postal plebiscite went out this week and are due back next month.

With the first same-sex marriages potentially happening by Christmas, it’s worth remembering how drastically life has changed for the LGBTQI community since the days of the Bjelke-Petersen era.

Parliament House is seen through a rainbow flag during a rally in support of same sex marriage outside Parliament House in Canberra, Tuesday, September 12, 2017. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING

In September 1987, Sir John was in the final weeks of his 19-year reign and took aim at sex as an essential issue.

He declared that the State Government would not legalise condom vending machines and would move to immediately prosecute people installing the.

Sir Joh defiantly said that the state would not “be dragged into the condom culture” as calls for his resignation came from the Opposition which insisted he shown no concern for people fighting AIDS.

Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen.

“Cabinet decided that the National Party Government will not bend fundamental principles to accommodate Gross irresponsibility among a small section of the community.

Fast-forward two years to late 1989 as the 32-year-old conservative administration faced electoral annihilation after shocking revelations of institutionalised corruption among its members during the Fitzgerald Inquiry.

The Ahern Cabinet featuring the Gold Coast’s Rob Borbidge, Brian Littleproud, Leisha Harvey, Premier Mike Ahern, Russell Cooper and Jim Randell (Pic Barry Pascoe)

Premier Mike Ahern was dumped by the party and replaced with Russell Cooper in the hopes of mounting a last-ditch fight against the resurgent Labor, led by Wayne Goss.

Cooper was forced to call an election for December 2, 1989 and decided to focus on the Nationals classic themes of social conservatism.

Dismissing corruption as an issuing going into the poll, Cooper instead decided to target the gay community.

Premier Russell Cooper. Pic: Steve Pohlner

Homosexuality was still illegal in Queensland and the premier using the campaign to that Labor would move to bring the state into line with its southern counterparts if it won.

`Labor would make moral decay the law in Queensland’’ he said to his fears that homosexuality and prostitution would be legalised.

The Gold Coast would become the gay capital of Australia and gay mardi gras would be held through Brisbane’s streets,’ he said.

“As far as we’re concerned we don’t recognise homosexuality in this state and that’s where the matter rests.”

Premier Wayne Goss with Tom Burns & new cabinet on December 18, 1989 after taking power.

Labor won the election and swept the Nationals from power and, in 1990 and removed the “draconian” laws.

The Nationals, under subsequent leader Rob Borbidge, took a more moderate position on the issue as the 1990s progressed.

“What people do in their own time is their own business and I don’t think governments should be moralising,” Mr Borbidge said.

By the mid-1990 Cooper admitted he was wrong in his previous views, saying many homosexuals were “”fine people with good minds’’ but said “It’s their minds I’m interested in, nothing else.”