Mackey Janet: Prostitution Reform Bill — In Committee 
Mackey Janet: Prostitution Reform Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:608;Page:5751] 
JANET MACKEY (NZ Labour—East Coast) 
: 
 This is the first call I have taken on this bill. I did vote for it when it was introduced to the Parliament and I sat on the Justice and Electoral Committee in the last Parliament that was dealing with this proposed legislation. I voted for the bill when it came in because it said that it dealt with the health and safety of prostitutes. I have no problem with that—I do not think that anyone in this Parliament would have a problem with addressing those issues. This bill does not do that. In the course of that bill being worked through the select committee it changed quite dramatically. It changed to a point where it was no longer focused on meeting the health and safety needs of women who are engaged in this industry but rather sought to seek some sort of normalisation. I have heard people in this Chamber and there have been some good speeches. I think those members who have taken the time to put up amendments should be commended. It is an important issue but I do not think that this Parliament has even scratched the surface. 
This bill now says that normalisation of prostitution is OK. I have a problem with that. I am not coming at it from a religious point of view. I am not coming at it from a moralistic point of view. I am simply coming at it from the point of view of the type of society that I want to live in and that I want to leave for my children. It is a society that does not engage or condone the trafficking of women. Although we have had some passionate arguments I have also had correspondence—and I am sure other members have too—from a large number of women’s organisations that say that the bottom line of this is that it is OK. I too disagree with that and I will not support the bill. 
I have heard a large number of arguments in the House saying that this legislation is not seeking to normalise. Well when this Parliament has to look at accompanying this legislation with a Supplementary Order Paper that says that Work and Income New Zealand will not be able to direct women to advertised positions for prostitutes then tell me what we have done if not normalise? We have normalised it. When we are asking councils to look at zoning matters and when we are asking the court to take responsibility for deeming that a person who runs a brothel and profiteers off women’s bodies must be a right and proper person to do that then we are normalising. That is not the sort of society that I want to live in. I would like to live in a society where women are treated with respect. I am afraid that I am old-fashioned enough to believe that where sex is not accompanied with familiarity with respect—God willing even love—then I am afraid it is not an act that I want to be party to normalising. 
I had the privilege of speaking with a number of Norwegian women at the recent Inter-Parliamentary Union conference. They were full of forebodings and warnings for this Parliament about the course of action that we are taking. Their experience has not been good. It is a bit like selling off the electricity companies. How does one go backwards? That is the position that they are in now. That is what they are trying to deal with. 
I think that it is very trendy and there is something very progressive about being liberal a freethinker a free spirit and all the rest but members really need to ask themselves whether they actually accept that this is a viable career for young women whether this is a valuable option available to them. If members do not think that then they should bite the bullet and hold their head up and not be ashamed to vote against this legislation. 
I look forward to the day when this Parliament brings forward a piece of legislation that does really deal with health and safety issues for prostitutes. This legislation does not and I will not be supporting it.