Lole-Taylor Asenati: Manukau City Council (Regulation of Prostitution in Specified Places) Bill — Consideration of Interim Report of Local Government and Environment Committee 
Lole-Taylor Asenati: Manukau City Council (Regulation of Prostitution in Specified Places) Bill — Consideration of Interim Report of Local Government and Environment Committee 
[Volume:677;Page:737] 
LE’AUFA’AMULIA ASENATI LOLE-TAYLOR (NZ First) 
: 
 I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak for the first time on behalf of New Zealand First on this Manukau City Council (Regulation of Prostitution in Specified Places) Bill. The Local Government and Environment Committee report considers that this bill should give the Auckland Council a wider jurisdiction under this bill beyond the South Auckland boundary.  
 As a local resident of South Auckland—to be specific Otahuhu—I say that this bill and its crux deserve a serious consideration. Prostitution not only exists on Hunters Corner in Papatoetoe; it is being solicited in many parts of South Auckland. In Otahuhu you only have to drive through Atkinson Avenue or sometimes even through Great South Road in Manurewa to be able to experience what actually is happening there. The whole place transforms from a bustling commercial and schooling district into an area of pick-ups and drop-offs for prostitutes.  
Under the Prostitution Reform Act 2003 prostitution became decriminalised. Sadly there will always be a market in the sex industry for prostitution and it does not help when jobs are scarce—contrary to what the Prime Minister and his Minister for Social Development may think. I would be surprised if the Government supports this bill considering its current welfare reforms. It opposes the market for job opportunities does it not?  
New Zealand First never supported the Prostitution Reform Act in 2003. However since it is part of legislation we must consider the part of this bill that addresses many important issues concerning soliciting prostitution in public areas. Children should not be exposed to used condoms on their walks to school or question the openness of sex being available on every corner of their shopping centres. Parents should not have to explain to their kids why there is paraphernalia dumped in public parks on beaches and in and around the local schools and church boundaries. Business owners local residents and local communities should not have to clean up the mess the next morning.  
Prostitution should have never been so openly accepted with the Prostitution Reform Act 2003. We are now dealing with the consequences of this and here is the message we are sending to our future generations: it is all right to be openly involved in the openness of sexual activity in exchange for money. It is a career path that children can take and it is being publicly displayed and accepted to practise in our communities. New Zealand is a country that allows for the mixing of family environments and the sexual activity of prostitution. Local businesses be they small or large have to accept that sex work is happening on their doorsteps and deal with the problems the next morning.  
Thorough scrutiny of this bill is imperative so that New Zealand communities can feel comfortable and raise our families and our children and take part in these economies. It allows for our public environment to be protected against the danger of sex work. We need to feel safe in our own communities and we need to recognise the importance of raising our children in an environment where they can dream beyond the prospects of standing at shop corners.  
New Zealand First acknowledges that the bill needs to be looked at seriously and worked on especially in regard to enforcement. It seems that the police can actually arrest under suspicion of prostitution and enforce a fine of up to $2000 as per clause 13 of the bill. Clause 13 of the bill gives a constable a power to arrest without a warrant “a person who the constable has good cause to suspect has committed an offence …”. That is rather grey. If they accuse a local contingent who is waiting for the bus or taxi or somebody from the family to pick them up they are opening themselves up to come seriously under fire.  
Even with this I am pleased to say that New Zealand First supports the bill and commends the sponsor who brought it to the attention of the House. Thank you.