Prostitution Bill passes

by Stephanie Vanicek

April 2, 2008

WA’S Legislative Council passed the controversial Prostitution Bill on April 1, ensuring the Bill will become law.

The new law will decriminalise brothels and ensure their regulation, while also enshrining individual rights such as superannuation and health care for sex workers.

Perth MLA John Hyde, a long-term advocate of the new law, was excited by its passing through parliament and called it “tremendous”.

“For the first time, local communities will be able to discuss this issue in an unemotive and clear way,” Mr Hyde said, “and residential suburbs can close down illegal brothels.”

However, state director for the Australian Christian Lobby Michelle Pearse has accused the government of not having done enough analysis on the law.

“It is a very sad day for WA,” she said, “and we will see an increase in brothels and an increase in human trafficking as a result of this.”

Gerard Gorian, state director of the Christian Democratic Party, agreed with Ms Pearse. He believed that requiring brothels to acquire licenses would only increase operation costs which might lead to prostitutes having to work longer hours.

“Of great concern is the fact that it only takes two women to set up their own business, which could lead to an increase in suburban brothels,” Mr Gorian said. “This whole thing is a farce, engineered by the government from the start.”

Both Ms Pearse and Mr Gorian have advocated the Swedish model instead, which would criminalise both the buyers of sex as well as brothel owners. However, Mr Hyde dismissed this, saying it was a total disaster.