Victoria's Parliament has become the first Australian jurisdiction to erase old criminal convictions of people who were prosecuted for engaging in consenting homosexual sex.

The Napthine Government's legislation will enable Victorian men to apply to have their criminal records expunged.

Convictions for indecency charges such as buggery or "loitering for homosexual purposes" were a lasting burden for many Australians who have had to live with a black mark against their name, or when travelling or applying for jobs.

Last night the Victorian Parliament became the nation's first to vote to erase the criminal records of those who were charged with indecency offences.

Human Rights Law Centre executive director Hugh de Kretser lobbied for the change.

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"What we're seeing with massive increase in criminal record checks is that this has much greater potential for discrimination and stigma than it had, say 20 or 30 years ago when these offences were decriminalised," he said.

"[People with convictions are] extremely concerned because, for example, their workplaces are for the first time requiring all staff to do criminal record checks.

"So events that were long buried but that resulted in a very unfair and unjust conviction were causing extreme stress for particular people in these situations."

Victoria has taken the lead in overturning old criminal convictions and some other states and territories are expected to introduce their own legislation soon.

"So New South Wales is now looking at legislation and we hope that they will implement similar legislation.

"South Australia already has a scheme to provide, of some sorts, to provide for expungement.

"So our hope is that other jurisdictions across Australia will follow Victoria's lead and make this acknowledgement and provide an expungement scheme."