The Queensland Parliament this week has a historic opportunity to address a serious injustice. They can, if they're committed enough, abolish the "gay panic" defence. It states that a killer can have his murder sentence downgraded to manslaughter if he claims a gay advance was made towards him, leading him to panic.

It is outdated, outrageous and homophobic.

Its abolition has been delayed by successive Queensland governments for four years. Our LGBTIQ community deserves fairness and safety and they deserve it this week.

I'm a proud fifth generation far north Queensland local.  Despite what some, like federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter may say, our region is diverse, multicultural and has a strong and proud lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population. They're people who want to live their lives just like any other – with respect and dignity.

I'm a Christian and a humanist with a strong commitment to abolishing all forms of discrimination. It's most concerning to me that there exists a common law precedent, giving people committing violence against LGBTIQ people an opportunity of avoiding full responsibility for their actions by pleading they had panicked.

In current law, disgracefully, this extends to sentencing surrounding the assault of a gay person.  This also applies to cases of grievous bodily harm, manslaughter and murder regarding a person killing or assaulting a gay individual who has made sexual advances towards the defendant.  For example: in a nightclub.

Any violence can have grave consequences including death, grievous bodily harm. The notion of having acted in a 'gay panic' is a draconian, barbaric concept, which sees us walk backwards as the rest of the world steps forwards in pushing for equality. It should not allow for a defence of diminished responsibility.  This is an abhorrent discrimination of human rights.  It should be quashed.  It's an outrage in this day and age we have left this legislation untouched – despite empty promises from the Queensland government to advance amendments to the legislation.

The outrageousness of this defence has united people from all backgrounds. One is Father Paul Kelly, a Catholic Priest who has led a dogged campaign to abolish this homophobic law. A man named Wayne Ruks was found killed in his churchyard, and his two killers received manslaughter sentences in 2010 instead of murder because the gay panic defence was brought up in court. One of them has already walked free. Father Kelly started a petition on Change.org, which has brought huge attention to the issue. Almost 300,000 people have signed it.

How can we possibly give murderers a lesser sentence than another murder because their victim was gay? These are hate crimes. It's unacceptable in this day and age that we tolerate this injustice. Everyone is born free and equal. Having offered to prepare a Bill to abolish this unjust "gay panic" doctrine, I'm pleased to see the government is finally moving their own legislation. This is a matter of urgency. It must be done this week.

Let's hope when it's time to vote, all members of Queensland Parliament step out of the past and abolish this defence which lets killers off scot free, and shames our state further when it comes to protecting gay people.

Rob Pyne is the independent Member for Cairns, having resigned from the Australian Labor Party and the Palaszczuk government.