Brothel By School Gate Highlights Flawed Law

Family First NZ says that a brothel opening opposite an Intermediate school in Henderson highlights the flaws of the prostitution laws and its failure to protect families.

“For a residential brothel to be able to open in Lincoln Rd directly opposite a school entranceway where children are being dropped off and picked up by their parents shows that the law has failed,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

“When introducing the decriminalisation of prostitution, the then-Minister of Justice, the Hon Phil Goff said that controls were needed ‘to prevent the establishment of places of prostitution where they are offensive or inappropriate. Most of us would not want to see brothels established in residential areas or adjacent to preschools or schools’.”

“This commitment has not been met and its time for the government to amend the law in the interests of families,” says Mr McCoskrie.

“To allow brothels next to a family home or sensitive site such as a school, playground or church is unacceptable. We already have accounts of home brothels where men willing to pay for sex are knocking on nearby homes trying to find the brothel. There are also concerns about noise, traffic, and late-night visits. We must not expose our children and families to that level of risk.”

“The opposition to residential brothels in Greenlane, Albany, North Shore, 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 in Papatoetoe and Manurewa, and opposition to the brothel in the main street of Dannevirke shows that communities are not accepting the liberalised and harmful laws.”

“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.,” says Mr McCoskrie.

“It’s time the new government fixed the law.”

ENDS

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