Canberra's Liberals have their say...

[Ms Sue]

Canberra Liberals say women working in Canberra's sex industry should have better pathways to leave prostitution

Giulia Jones. Photo: Rohan Thomson

Women working in Canberra's sex industry should have better pathways to leave prostitution, according to Canberra Liberals Giulia Jones and Vicki Dunne.

About 20 people gathered at the ACT Assembly on Thursday night for a forum to discuss an upcoming study tour of countries in Europe and Asia where buying sex is illegal.

The visit has raised the possibility of outlawing prostitution in the ACT, where buying and selling sex is legal and regulated.

Vicki Dunne. Photo: Katherine Griffiths

Ms Jones, the ACT Liberals' spokeswoman on women, has the backing of Liberal leader Jeremy Hanson for her tour of France, Sweden and South Korea in April. She told the forum ''exit programs'' could be one recommendation of a report to be prepared for the Assembly.

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''People still probably don't think very often about the fact that it's a fairly damaging business for women on the whole,'' she said before the event.

''There are exceptions … but the statistics show that a vast number of women would like to get out and they tend not to be able to work five nights a week for 20 years. It's too much and the women that have come out of the industry have said that to me.''

In Sweden, prostitution is decriminalised but it is illegal to buy sex, a model adopted by the European Union. France and the UK are also considering reforms and Ms Jones said South Korea had the most advanced support for women wanting to leave the industry.

''It really comes from a feminist perspective about the violence that gets perpetrated on women in this industry,'' she said.

West Australian Liberal MP Peter Abetz, Victorian Labor MP Christine Campbell, academics and non-profit organisation staff will join the tour. They will meet policymakers, law enforcement officials, academics and staff from non-profit organisations.

Ms Jones said a change in Canberra's laws would probably need support from both sides of politics.

''Without having broad agreement, it would take some time, I imagine,'' she said.

Sex Party president Fiona Patten said on Thursday the tour amounted to ''a junket'' and could lead the ACT to enact regressive laws.

''The ACT has a world-class model of regulation of sex work,'' she said.

''We've had members of parliament from around the world come and see the Australian model. For these politicians to go overseas, on what I would see as a junket, to look at prohibitionist models in 2014 is ridiculous.

''Vicki Dunne was part of an extensive review of the Prostitution Act 12 months ago and it was found that the act provided safe working conditions for sex workers, the act helped to remove stigma which made it easier for people to exit the industry and that, overall, it was extremely successful.

''They talk about protecting workers when actually what has happened in France and Sweden has been exactly the opposite.

''When you criminalise the clients of sex workers you effectively criminalise the sex worke



Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act...rostitution-20140320-3567b.html#ixzz2wXUs9380

 

[Mrs Langtrees]

I went to the public forum the other night, there was a lot of questionable information presented. One thing that stuck in my mind was that "85% of all sex workers want to leave the industry".

After the meeting, I questioned where they got this fact and Vicki Dunne got quite defensive. I did speak with Giulia Jones and found her quite open-minded, but with little understanding of the industry except what she sees on TV.

I believe the whole tour is a waste of taxpayers' money, they have no intention of speaking to anyone in the industry, just organisations that have dealings with sex workers.

 

[vitoandolini]

the tour is a waste of money.

it seems they already have in mind there recommendations - swedish model, even though there are studies that show the failure of that model.

the ACT govt did a review of sex industry a few years ago. not sure why they are wasting taxpayers money doing this.

they should be talking to girls in the industry in canberra. not a worldwide junket.

 

[XLNC]

I went to the public forum the other night, there was a lot of questionable information presented. One thing that stuck in my mind was that "85% of all sex workers want to leave the industry".
After the meeting, I questioned where they got this fact and Vicki Dunne got quite defensive. I did speak with Giulia Jones and found her quite open-minded, but with little understanding of the industry except what she sees on TV.
I believe the whole tour is a waste of taxpayers' money, they have no intention of speaking to anyone in the industry, just organisations that have dealings with sex workers.

I wondered where they got that astonishing statistic from too. A survey of homeless drug-addicted pimp-abused streetwalkers living hand-to-mouth in downtown Lagos perhaps? While that may be an exaggeration, I note they didn't seem to specify it applied specifically to the contemporary ACT situation, definitely something worth challenging.

It's always unfortunate when politicians try to force the evidence to support their policies, driven by whatever agenda they are pushing, rather than making sound evidence-based policies. They are still in opposition so no need to panic just yet, but certainly something to keep an eye on -- and pull them up again if they tell any more suspected porkies!

 

[Thin Guy]

Best Reply to this is by one of the local politicians who wrote the current progressive ACT laws and was part of the Carnell/ Humphies Liberal government:

http://citynews.com.au/2014/politics-libs-unhappy-position-prostitution/

 

[homer]

so what is the point of not addressing the points? It's a whole lot of finger pointing i guess.

 

[Thin Guy]

10 April Canberra Times reported that Robbie Swan said the Sex Party was "considering running in the next election for the ACT Legislative Assembly".
Could ensure some lively debate and the potential for pressure at the ballot box.