Legal Information

Legal information, policies and submissions that support the self-determination of people with disability, a must read for clients with carers and their service providers.

Age of Consent

The age of consent for a person to legally enter a “Restricted Premises” is eighteen years or older.

New South Wales Disability Services Act

The legal requirements of service providers to provide a full range of assistance to people with disability are clearly defined in this extract from the NSW Disability Services Act.

NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (DADHC) Sexuality and Human Relationships Policy and Procedures for service providers

The NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC)  has a ‘Sex Worker and Sex Aids Policy’ for service providers. ADHC recognises the rights of clients with disability to access sex workers and sex aids, with respect to their privacy. The current version of this policy is below.

Legal Impediments to Sexual Expression: Fact or Furphy

This discussion paper dated June 2001 was prepared for the Touching Base Committee NSW by the Intellectual Disability Rights Services Inc (IDRS). “The purpose of this paper is to raise some of the laws that are relevant to the issue and to consider whether, in fact, they prevent disability workers from supporting consumers in expressing their sexuality…”.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Since Legal Impediments to Sexual Expression: Fact or Furphy was published the legal age for homosexual intercourse in New South Wales has been lowered from 18 to 16 years of age, equal to the age of consent for heterosexual intercourse. Therefore information provided under Section 3.1.2.3 “minors” is no longer accurate. If you choose to print “Legal Impediments to Sexual Expression: Fact or Furphy” – please update the printed document by make a note of this change on page 5.

Amendment of NSW procurement laws

The Touching Base Committee is seeking support to change the current laws relating to the procurement of sex workers in NSW. This document outlines why we believe an amendment may be required.

Barriers to accessibility caused by local council policies

This document highlights many issues raised by the practice of local councils to ban brothels from ground floor premises. These restrictions create obvious barriers for people with mobility impairments to gain equal access to these premises.

Touching Base endorses The Uluru Statement from the Heart and acknowledges First Nations as the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia, their diversity, histories and knowledge, and their continuing connections to land and community. As Australians all, we respect our nation’s First Peoples, their cultures, and Elders of past, present and future generations.