Brown Peter: Manukau City Council (Control of Street Prostitution) Bill — First Reading 
Brown Peter: Manukau City Council (Control of Street Prostitution) Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:628;Page:655] 
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 I find myself in a somewhat unusual position at this moment. I have to congratulate the Hon David Carter on the speech he gave a few moments ago. He was absolutely correct; the Prostitution Reform Act is a disastrous piece of social legislation. That is what he said and I agree with him one hundred percent. He went on to say that it is stupid law and I agree with him one hundred percent. He then went on to blame the abstention of Mr Choudhary I believe for the law being passed. But the actual facts of the matter are that six out of the 27 National MPs voted for the Prostitution Reform Act—six out of 27. Over 10 percent of the total vote cast in this House for that legislation was cast by National MPs—and now they have a guilt complex. 
Hon Tau Henare 
: Get on to the subject; talk about now. 
PETER BROWN 
: Oh the new boys on the block are saying that it is nothing to do with them. Well I tell those honourable members that their leader voted for the Prostitution Reform Act. Now they sit there and through David Carter they say that it is disastrous legislation. Six out of 27 National MPs voted for the legislation they are now complaining about but from the word go they were told that the Prostitution Reform Act would expand the industry legally and illegally. They were told there would be more street prostitution as a result of that Act and that there would be more children involved. It is a sad testimony for this country that we have child prostitutes right now as we speak—and there has not been one arrest. We have taken the police out of the equation and now it is open slather. I say to those members that it is no good sitting here. As the honourable member David Carter has said it was naive of six National members to have voted for the bill—including the honourable Don Brash. 
I have some sympathy for the National Party I have to be honest. First of all I do not know how Winston Peters convinced its members to ask all those patsy questions when in return he has smashed them round the block. It is really quite unfair. I will have to talk to my leader and tell him he should not take patsy questions and knock them to all and sundry. But when those members show such naivety as they have shown here in saying that this legislation is needed because the principal Act was disastrous I have to tell them to think again. They should think who the dickens they represent when they come to this Parliament. They represent law-abiding decent people. 
Hon Tau Henare 
: About time you retired. 
PETER BROWN 
: It is no good Tau Henare’s shouting his head off. He knows two-thirds of nothing. What he knows about this legislation we could write in block capitals on a postage stamp. 
Mr Choudhary abstained from voting—and it is unfortunate he did—on the principal legislation; otherwise we would not have to be dealing with this bill tonight I suspect. But we are dealing with it and I compliment the Manukau City Council on saying that it has a problem and that it wants to address it. I say to members that sooner rather than later this sort of legislation—assuming it is passed and I think it will be—will be taken up by other local authorities elsewhere in this country. That cannot come before time because people involved in the prostitution industry are destroying their lives. 
I know that the Greens look at me in disgust as I speak but if the Greens could have their way they would have people referred to a brothel-owner from Work and Income. They will oppose this legislation. They see prostitution as a legitimate job for young women to go into. If the Greens had their way they would have Work and Income refer— 
Sue Bradford 
: No way! 
PETER BROWN 
: Oh “No way!” the member yells. Yet she says that she wants to legitimise prostitution— 
Sue Bradford 
: Decriminalise it. 
PETER BROWN 
:—or rather decriminalise it. I can say that the day of the passing of the Prostitution Reform Act was a sad day for New Zealand. In that legislation as I recall there is provision for a review in 5 years. I say to the honourable Tim Barnett and I know he is an honourable man that he should bring that review forward. He has the clout to do it. He should bring it forward. [ 
Interruption 
] Oh United Future wants to bring it forward. There we are; the member has been listening to New Zealand First. We want to bring the review forward now. Let us have the whole thing thrashed out and looked at because 5 years is too long to wait.