Tasmania may become the first state or territory in Australia to introduce a financial compensation scheme for people convicted of the past criminal offences of homosexuality and “cross-dressing”. A bill passed Tasmania’s lower house this week to amend laws that expunge, or remove from the record, these criminal convictions. It also included the introduction of a financial redress scheme for those affected, the first of its kind in Australia. The redress scheme was added to the bill by the Tasmanian Greens before it passed the lower house, with an upper house vote still to come. Equality Tasmania campaigner Rodney Croome said it was an important step, as those who were convicted faced a range of consequences.