Homosexuality Inquiry (Press, 1 July 1958)

On 30 June 1958, the Attorney-General of New South Wales, Mr R. R. Downing, announced the establishment of a committee to investigate homosexuality in the state. This committee will conduct a comprehensive scientific inquiry into the causes of homosexuality and potential treatments for homosexual offenders. The committee's members include psychiatrists, social workers, church representatives, and prison officials. Mr Downing noted that the opening of Cooma Prison, which will serve as a special institution for convicted homosexual offenders, would assist the committee's work. Cooma Prison is distinctive as it will be the only facility in the world specifically designated for the detention of such individuals. In other news, the Indonesian rebel radio reported that rebels intend to continue fighting in Celebes and Sumatra until achieving "ultimate victory." The broadcast mentioned that they have inflicted significant losses on government troops in the ongoing conflict in Celebes. Further afield, there are growing concerns in Warsaw regarding the concessions made to Soviet demands. Reports indicated that these concessions create challenges for Poland as the nation seeks to maintain a degree of autonomy without aligning too closely with the Soviet Union. The presence of several Russian divisions in Poland is viewed as a potential threat, while the country's reliance on Soviet raw materials for its industries limits its bargaining power. Despite potential alternatives, Poland lacks the foreign currency needed to procure them. A contentious debate within the Polish Communist Party preceded the approval of the Moscow-imposed stance regarding the Nagy affair. Additionally, a report from Belgrade revealed that the central committee of the Jugoslav Communist Party has decided to release its account of the discussions held between Marshal Tito and Soviet Premier Mr Khrushchev in Bucharest. This meeting, aimed at resolving public disputes between the Jugoslav and Soviet Communist parties over ideological differences, led to an agreement to cease such quarrelling. As a result, Jugoslavia officially recognised East Germany, provoking West Germany to cut diplomatic ties with Jugoslavia in retaliation. With the Bucharest agreement now effectively void, the Jugoslav Party leadership felt compelled to inform Communist members worldwide about the discussions. A summary of the meeting will soon be distributed to Jugoslav party organisations, and it is expected that the Jugoslav press will publish details from the letter issued by the central committee shortly.

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