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home / archives / politics / australian / federal / malcolm fraser /  1st December 1977

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No sex please, we're in politics!

On the 30 November, 1977, the Administrative Services Minister, Senator Reginald Withers, released the report from the Royal Commission on Human Relationships, often referred to at the time as "The Sex Report". The list of recommendations from three commissioners covered issues such as decriminalising abortion, fertility control, the age of consent, legalisation of brothels and prostitution as well as removing specific handling in the law for "same sex" offences.

While history has shown that the commissioners, which included the Anglican Archibishop of Brisbane, the Most Reverend Dr. Felix Arnott, the Chief Judge of the Family Court, Justice Elizabeth Evatt, and Sydney Broadcaster/Journalist Anne Deveson, showed great insight, it took a while for the dust to settle on this one. Certainly, the day after the report politicians of both sides were feeling it might be too hot to handle!