Perry Edwin: Prostitution Reform Bill — In Committee 
Perry Edwin: Prostitution Reform Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:609;Page:6163] 
EDWIN PERRY (NZ First) 
: 
 New Zealand First opposes this bill in its entirety. We have just listened to the Minister speak to all the ideals that he wants to happen through this bill. I want to pitch my korero at the Maori MPs across the House. I want to pitch my korero in relation to the disgraceful despicable and demeaning law this bill will provide for Maoridom. I thank the kaumatua the Hon Dover Samuels and Nanaia Mahuta. I am sure their constituents will also thank them for the stand they have taken against this bill. I thank them for the positive vote that they have given. 
I want to touch on one or two things. In relation to drug abuse I say to members in the Chamber today that the methamphetamine problem of the moment will be the gangs’ outlet for the supply of this particular drug. I tell the Maori MPs that I have here a copy of the  
Assignment 
 programme shown on television last week that portrayed 13 and 14-year-old Maori women prostitutes. The programme said that 8 and 9-year-old Maori girls are currently on the street prostituting themselves. I want to explain to members why that is. In west Auckland women are using the drug P and to finance their drug habit they are crossing to south Auckland to prostitute themselves to get the money to go back to west Auckland and purchase drugs. I say to Maori MPs that they should look at that  
Assignment  
programme if they have not already.  
My first question to Maori MPs is whether they are happy to go into the next election with this conscience issue over their heads. 
Mita Ririnui 
: Absolutely! 
EDWIN PERRY 
: We will soon see. This afternoon I have heard that Maoridom is happy with this bill. I do not know what street those members have been going down or whom they have been speaking to but quite frankly the Maori constituents I speak to disagree with this bill. Last Friday I spoke on Ngati Porou radio in respect of this bill. The feedback from the listeners was overwhelmingly that the Maori MPs on the Government side of the House should cross the floor and vote against this bill. The heart of Maoridom is saying that but no those members will vote for this bill to pass through the House. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: It’s a conscience vote. 
EDWIN PERRY 
: I know it is a conscience vote. At the end of the day they will vote for it and if they do then the responsibility is on their heads for the next election. At the next election we will go out and tell the whanau who voted for this particular bill.  
In a letter I received from Chris Olsen who has her master’s degree with honours in public policy is a trustee for the Oasis Youth and Community Trust facility in Wainuiomata and who knows a bit about this subject she wrote: “We know of a young person who is involved in prostitution to clear a debt and the effects on the life of this person. To maintain such a horrible life this person started to use drugs and alcohol to try and blot out the miserable life that she was leading as a prostitute.” So if those MPs think that this is the right bill to vote for then I ask them to think again. Postitution will become the centre of influence for criminal activity. 
I also mention the trafficking of women. There will be an increase in the importation of Asian women into the country to service the prostitution industry. Of recent times there has been several reports of clothing workers from Asian countries being entrapped in New Zealand and made virtual slaves in the prostitution industry. 
It was reported in an Australian newspaper on 2 March 2000 that the New South Wales police commissioner when commenting on 40 shootings in 3 months in Sydney suburbs stated that there was a struggle between rival groups for control of the drug and prostitution trade. I say to the members present today that gangs are shooting at each other already. It will become a matter of a patch boundary for gangs. They will be involved in securing their patches in the areas for prostitution. We have heard in previous korero on this particular bill that gangs will not be able to buy into this practice. I am telling members that they will be able to do so. They will put a clean-skinned person up they will front this business with money and they will get their hands on and control of this industry.  
New Zealand First has been informed that in 1992 a UK criminologist stated that all prostitutes suffered deep physiological damage as a result of this occupation. I can just see our young Maori women being led down this track into deprivation and the breakdown of the family unit. Quite frankly this is a deplorable bill that is being offered to our young people. All I heard from the Minister this afternoon was about young Maoris and that is the track I am taking. Sandra Coney probably New Zealand’s foremost advocate for women and the current executive director of the Women’s Health Action Trust is totally opposed to this bill. If that is not enough information for Maori MPs across the House what more do we have to put in? 
New Zealand First is a political party that strongly supports the family and family values. We see the family as the core of our society. Normalising prostitution attacks the very foundation of our society and of our families. In closing I say that New Zealand First will endeavour to make prostitution an election issue.