Revised bill on rape to be introduced

Press, 15 August 1984, Page 3

Revised bill on rape to be introduced

Parliamentary reporter A revised rape law reform bill will be introduced in Parliament this year, the Government has announced.

It was announced by the Minister of Justice, Mr Palmer, and the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Mrs Hercus, after public interest in the lapse of the legislation already before Parliament with the change of Government. When the election was called in June, all legislation before Parliament lapsed.

The two Ministers said the earlier bill would serve as a starting point. The new legislation would contain a great many revi-

sions, based on submissions to the select committee on the earlier bill, they said. Rape reform legislation had been part of Labour’s election policy, and would proceed as soon as possible. Mr Palmer told NZPA yesterday he could not say exactly what a new rape law reform bill would contain until it had been before the Cabinet and caucus.

"But I can tell you this — the thinking of the select committee was that there should be no spousal immunity,” he said. Evidence heard by the committee was overwhelmingly against the legislation containing a spousal immunity clause, he said.