MEDIA RELEASE
19 April 2009

More Vigilante Justice Predicted Against Prostitute Laws

Family First NZ is predicting that there will be more ‘vigilante justice’ against street prostitution and residential-based brothels as communities around the country become victims of a flawed law change.

“It is not only the residents of Papatoetoe that have had a gutsful of the antics of the sex and street industry,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “We are being regularly contacted by groups around the country who are opposed to brothels opening next door to family homes, and within a short distance of sensitive sites such as schools, playgrounds, and playcentres.”

“Communities such as Manurewa and Papatoetoe who unwillingly ‘host’ street workers are distressed by their public behaviour, the aftermath of their activity, and the unacceptable exposure to children and families.”

“The decriminalisation of prostitution has been a community disaster harming families, businesses, and the welfare of workers caught in the industry. Cities throughout NZ have been trying to deal with the ‘hospital pass’ given by the politicians when they passed this law. It’s time they fixed the law.”

“Local councils are caught between a rock and a hard place because they have to comply with the law but also need to serve the concerns and needs of the local community,” says Mr McCoskrie.

“The recent opposition to residential brothels in Greenlane, Albany, Mt Victoria in Wellington, and concerns about a sex parlour to operate in the same building as a preschool in Wellington, attempts by Manukau City Council to tackle the problems of street prostitution, and opposition to the brothel in the main street of Dannevirke shows that communities are simply not accepting the liberalised and harmful laws.”

Family First is encouraging residents to continue their battles against residential brothels and street prostitution and to continue to tell politicians that they must listen to the concerns of local communities.

ENDS

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