Baldock Larry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Baldock Larry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:613;Page:10027] 
11.  
LARRY BALDOCK (United Future) 
 to the  
Minister of Justice 
: Is he satisfied that the territorial authority by-law provisions of the Prostitution Reform Act 2003 are being implemented to achieve the aims of the Act; if so how? 
Hon PHIL GOFF (Minister of Justice) 
: 
 I am advised that some territorial authorities have already moved to create by-laws while others have taken no action at this time. The Prostitution Reform Act gives local bodies powers to regulate location and to control or prohibit signage relating to brothels. It is up to the local authorities to determine what by-laws are appropriate after consultation with their communities. 
Larry Baldock 
: In light of the fact that over 80 percent of submissions to the Auckland City Council favoured either the restrictive by-laws proposed or an even tougher approach will the Minister concede that the very provisions he had inserted into the law are being used by the public to signal that they do not want any kind of liberalisation of brothels or prostitution law; if not why not? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: No. What it shows is that people wanted what I put into the Supplementary Order Paper which is the ability of territorial local authorities to keep brothels out of areas where patently it is inappropriate for them to be. 
Russell Fairbrother 
: Is there provision in the Act for review of its operations if any aspect of it is found over time not to be satisfactory? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: Yes. The author of the bill put such a provision into it—that is to provide for the establishment of a Prostitution Law Review Committee to monitor the way the Act is working and report back to Parliament within 5 years. Any problems with the way the Act is working can be picked up by that process. I have sought and received from the whole of the House nominations for membership of the committee and I hope to finalise its membership by the end of the year. 
Sue Bradford 
: What steps if any is the Minister taking to ensure that all local authorities understand the legal implications for them of the Prostitution Reform Act? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: The law is set out clearly under the Act. It is not for me to give legal advice to local authorities. They are well equipped to seek that advice for themselves and have to operate under the processes set out under both this Act and the Local Government Act. 
Larry Baldock 
: Does the Minister concur with the Act’s sponsor Tim Barnett that the aim of the law is harm minimisation for prostitutes or does he agree with the approach of Auckland City Council now supported by over 80 percent of Auckland’s public that it is harm minimisation for the public? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: Yes I agree that the purpose of the Act is harm minimisation and that anybody who did not believe that prostitution existed under the old laws had their head in the sand. Anybody who did not believe that gangs were responsible for running escort agencies under the old law as the police reported to the select committee also had their head in the sand. I believe this Act will help in many ways but obviously we want to make sure that it does what it is intended to do. 
Larry Baldock 
: In light of the fact that brothels may set up and operate without a licence until 1 July 2004 does the Minister concede that the continued delay in the establishment of the Prostitution Law Review Committee whose first task is to investigate exactly how many prostitutes are operating in this country means that it may miss that important baseline in its research and therefore be unable to establish in future whether there has been an increase in prostitution as a result of this law change? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: No I do not have that concern but I want to see the committee set up as soon as possible. I have invited the member’s party United Future to make nominations but I do not think I have received any. 
Larry Baldock 
: I seek leave to table the nominations that we have submitted. 
Document not tabled.