WA - Prostitution

The WA Liberal government is planning to legalise brothels in Western Australia.
If you live in WA, it is urgent that you contact your MP to ask them to vote AGAINST this proposed legislation.

The Bill had its' Second Reading on Nov 3, and a vote was expected in the week beginning 7 November, 2011.
This didn't happen. The last sitting day for 2011 was on 1 December - the Bill was scheduled for debate for 1 hour - but no vote was taken. See Update below.

PLEASE KEEP contacting your MPs over the summer break - the Bill will 're-appear' in February 2012.

If the legislation is passed, the brothels will be legal in 'non-residential' areas and prostitutes (or 'sex workers') will have to register.

Read the text of the Prostitution Bill 2011 - click here.

We oppose the Bill, since prostitution exploits both the prostitute and the user - it exploits men and women and demeans society, relationships and marriage.

ACTION:

If you live in WA, please act NOW - contact your MP - ask them to vote against the Prostitution Bill.

Click here for MP contact details.

UPDATE: 15 November - The WA Parliament didn't debate the Bill in the week of 7 Nov.
It was eventually scheduled for debate for 1 hour on 1 December 2011 - the last sitting day for the year.
It was considered by our colleagues in WA that the government may have chosen not to have the Bill debated this year and to out it off until 2012. This could be influenced by the fact that many MPs are asking questions and are 'undecided' about the Bill.
If you live in WA, please keep contacting your MPs - and ask them to oppose this Bill.

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Government proposes amendments
The government has offered a couple of amendments - in order to get more support for the Bill.

One is to establish a fund to help people leave prostitution if they want to, and also to only require those working on their own to register as 'sex workers' (not those working in brothels). (Source - also information on the progress of the Bill here)
These are totally inadequate.
Prostitution and brothels should not be legalised at all - they exploit both women and men.

Legalising prostitution does not control it
In Victoria, there were about 50 illegal brothels prior to legalisation in 1994 - a few years back when we did the comparison, there were about 100 legal ones, and somewhere between 100 and 400 illegal ones (it depends who is doing the counting)! There were also 1,500 registered 'sex workers'.
Read our article - click here.

There is still crime and corruption in prostitution in Victoria - one of the claims was that this would be 'cleaned up' if prostitution was legalised. There have been criminal charges of underage girls in brothels and an increase in street prostitution as well.
Recently an ABC Four Corners report said that there was 'sex slavery' occurring in brothels in Melbourne and Sydney.

MPs opposing prostitution
Two Liberal MPs in the Legislative Assembly have said they will oppose the Bill - Congratulations to Peter Abetz and Graham Jacobs. We need more MPs to oppose it!