Hamilton's sex bylaw killed by councillor turnaround

1.00pm

Hamilton's controversial draft prostitution bylaw - allowing individual sex workers in the suburbs - has been defeated after councillor and mayoral candidate Ewan Wilson changed his mind today.

A day into the hearing of more than 100 submissions at Hamilton City Council Mr Wilson said he had been swayed by the evidence and would no longer be supporting the bylaw which was originally passed on the casting vote of mayor David Braithwaite.

His about face follows a flip-flop by councillor Pippa Mahood, and means brothel opponents easily have the numbers to sink the bylaw.

"I've listened, I've heard and I've accepted I made a mistake and I've changed my mind," Mr Wilson said today.

Mr Wilson will face suggestions he backed down for votes as he presently trails in the mayoral race behind Martin Elliott and Michael Redman but Mr Wilson said he had simply consulted widely.

Mr Wilson said he was also swayed by the fact that prostitutes were safer in brothels and had access to regular health checks.

Meanwhile, bylaw opponents brandished bibles and chocolates as the first of more than 100 submissions were heard by city councillors yesterday.

The draft bylaw, which allows individual sex workers in residential areas and two suburban brothels to continue operating, will be finalised today.

The weight of yesterday's submissions sought a ban on suburban sex workers, the banning of two existing suburban brothels, and harsher sanctions for rule breakers.

The only fireworks in otherwise tame proceedings came when a woman confronted submitter Paul Cooper as he told councillors the bylaw put the public at greater risk of sexually transmitted disease.

'I'm a sex worker, not an infectious disease," she said, before storming out.

Those supporting the bylaw argued council had no right to interfere, questioned claims of negative effects, and asked how a ban would be policed.

Resident Jill Ferguson produced several bars of chocolate to underline her submission: "A large bar of chocolate in all its fine wrappings is a very tempting and attractive product, which is hard to resist if one sees it."

"How much easier it would be to resist if it was wrapped in plain brown paper and placed at the back of the top shelf."

Likewise with brothels, she argued.

A raft of religious perspectives were represented, almost all firmly against sex workers in residential areas.

Tania Forbes was the only visible presence of the Destiny Church, which has taken a leading role against the bylaw.

Wearing one of the church's black "enough is enough" t-shirts, she said the bylaw did not protect private sex workers and put children at risk.

Dean of St Peter's Anglican Cathedral, Fr Ian Hanley told councillors there were likely only about a dozen private sex workers operating in the city.

"If you amend the bylaw (to allow private sex workers in residential areas) how would you enforce it? I doubt police would do it for you," he said.

Julie Conley, manager of suburban brothel Toni's, told councillors her girls were like family, and she would hate to see them forced to work elsewhere.

"We do about 50 bookings a week. Most places do 50-80 a day," she said.

- NZPA