Asenati Lole-Taylor MP
Spokesperson for Social Policy
5 December 2012

NZ First to Empower Communities to Tackle Street Prostitution

New Zealand First plans to introduce a Members Bill to give all Local Authorities clearly defined powers to designate specific areas for street prostitution.

Social Policy spokesperson Asenati Lole-Taylor says the Prostitution Reform (Local Empowerment in the Regulation of Street Prostitution) Bill 2012 will tackle issues that many people want to ignore, and get rid of confusion around prostitution laws.

“It would stop prostitute ‘turf wars’ that have already erupted in Auckland and Christchurch which are characterised by unseemly behaviour, threats and violence – for both local residents and those involved in the sex industry.

“This has had a dramatic impact on the quality of life of those unfortunate enough to live in neighbourhoods where street prostitution is problematic.

“It has also led to a big fall in the value of houses which are virtually unsellable in prostitute problem hotspots.”

Mrs Lole-Taylor says the Government must recognise the negative impacts of street prostitution – given that the Prime Minister has already acknowledged current prostitution laws aren’t working – and show its support for the Members Bill.

“There is no reason why all parties in Parliament should not support the Bill so the issues surrounding street prostitution can be properly dealt with.”

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>