Strip club owners who hire underage dancers face jail sentences under proposals introduced to Parliament.
The Crimes Amendment Bill creates a new offence of sexual exploitation, preventing anyone employing anybody under 18 for the purpose of performance or display.
It carries a maximum jail term of up to 14 years, and will
receive its first parliamentary reading next year.
The proposed amendment comes days after a 15-year-old girl was caught working in a Nelson strip club while under Child Youth and Family (CYF) care.
The girl fled CYF care on Saturday and has been missing since.
A spokesman for Justice Minister Phil Goff said the timing was a coincidence. The wording had been prepared long before the incident, even though the bill was tabled in Parliament the next day.
Nelson MP Nick Smith said the timing was more than coincidental.
"The Government may have responded with claims there are already provisions in the Sale of Liquor Act to stop underage people from working on licensed premises, but that was just straight politicking when the city's own police force said they were hamstrung and that any punishment they sought would be tantamount to a slap on the wrist with a wet bus ticket," he said.
Dr Smith challenged CYF to tighten its childcare rules.
"We have a law to stop exploitation, now the Government needs to ensure CYF has the secure residential facilities to make sure these young people can't get themselves into this situation."
Visions Revue owner Allan Ravenswood, whose club hired the girl, said he welcomed the change.
But he had some concerns about how bar owners could police the age restriction.
"It comes down to their honesty and your own discretion. That's all you can do."
Mr Ravenswood said the 15-year-old presented false identification before getting the job.
Police are still investigating and have yet to decide whether to take the matter further.
Mr Goff's spokesman said the bill addressed a legal anomaly which meant it was not illegal to employ an otherwise underage stripper.
- NZPA
