By AUDREY YOUNG
Men should be the people penalised for prostitution, says Hamilton East MP Dianne Yates, one of the few Labour women expected to oppose liberalisation of the law.
She will try to amend the Prostitutes Reform Bill, now before Parliament, so that buyers of sex may be prosecuted along the
lines of Sweden's law change in 1999.
If the amendment does not pass, she will vote against the bill to decriminalise prostitution, citing feminist principles. "I don't agree that prostitution and soliciting is a viable occupation for people in this country," she said.
"Coming from a feminist perspective, I think it is exploitation of women.
"This bill doesn't help the prostitutes. It makes nice, clean brothels for men to use."
Parliament last night began debating the second reading of the bill, sponsored by Christchurch Central Labour MP Tim Barnett.
He is confident the bill has the numbers to pass.
It will be the subject of a conscience vote, but voting on the amendments is not expected to begin for at least a fortnight.
Dianne Yates is likely to get the support for her amendment from United Future and New Zealand First, whose MPs all oppose decriminalisation of prostitution.
She believes the bill's health and safety requirements are of greater advantage to clients than prostitutes.
"Let's face it, if any prostitute gets HIV she'll lose her job. It is not going to protect her," she said.
Labour's Phil Goff will also move amendments, in his capacity as Mt Roskill MP, not Justice Minister, to try to get regulations on operator-licensing and zoning applying to the prostitution business.
Prime Minister Helen Clark would vote for the bill, a spokesman said last night.
Mr Barnett said he could understand the ideology of Dianne Yates.
"The purist in me sees the sense of it, but the realist part of me says that you actually increase the significant risks."
The risks would be forcing prostitution underground, increasing coercion of sex workers, sexually transmitted diseases and poor employment conditions, he said.
"The whole package of stuff the bill was designed to improve would all suffer because the industry goes underground.
"It means the whole thing is hidden."
The Prostitutes Collective estimates there are 8500 prostitutes in New Zealand.
In Australia, Victoria legalised prostitution in the mid-1990s. Brothels have to be licensed and there are controls on who can operate them.
In New South Wales, prostitution has been decriminalised, similar to the regime proposed by Mr Barnett.
By AUDREY YOUNG
Men should be the people penalised for prostitution, says Hamilton East MP Dianne Yates, one of the few Labour women expected to oppose liberalisation of the law.
She will try to amend the Prostitutes Reform Bill, now before Parliament, so that buyers of sex may be prosecuted along the
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