King Annette: Manukau City Council (Regulation of Prostitution in Specified Places) Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeKing Annette: Manukau City Council (Regulation of Prostitution in Specified Places) Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 25 February 2015. Volume:703;Page:1923. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) on behalf of Su’a William Sio (Labour—Māngere): I move That the Manukau City Council (Regulation of Prostitution in Specified Places) Bill be now read a second time. This bill has a long history—a very very long gestation indeed. On 22 November 2005 the former member of Parliament for Manurewa the Hon George Hawkins introduced the first of these bills. It was the Manukau City Council (Control of Street Prostitution) Bill. It was introduced in the 48th Parliament. The bill provided for local control over street prostitution in Manukau City. On 7 December 2005 it was referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee. At the time of its introduction the Hon George Hawkins outlined what he said were the local problems relating to street prostitution in the areas of Hunter’s Corner Papatoetoe; the Ōtara town centre; and the Great South Road Manurewa. They were concerned as a local council about the growing number of sex workers soliciting on the street. It was not a bill—and never was—about the legality of prostitution. That bill had been passed some time earlier so it had nothing to do with legalisation or decriminalisation of prostitution in New Zealand.So 10 years on—from 2005 until now—we are debating today the reading of a second bill to deal with this issue. I need to tell those who are listening that so much time has gone into this issue—probably more time at a select committee on a local bill than at any time in the history of this Parliament. We have had report after report. We have had evidence backwards and forwards legal opinions given the evidence of that legal opinion given and another legal opinion given. And in the meantime throughout this the Manukau City Council disappeared altogether and was replaced by a super-city.The first select committee report on the first bill recommended that the bill not proceed and that it be voted down at the second reading. It was voted down by the select committee on the grounds that having a local law different from national law in respect of prostitution was unworkable. Seven members of that original committee have now left this House. Those left are Pita Paraone the Hon Nick Smith and Metiria Turei.Then on 11 October 2006 we had that second reading. It was voted down by 46 votes to 73. But I have to tell the House it did not deter the Hon George Hawkins. He came back with another local bill the Manukau City Council (Regulation of Prostitution in Specified Places) Bill and on 20 August 2010 now the 49th Parliament this bill was introduced. This bill in clause 3 authorises the council “to make bylaws specifying places in the district where the business of prostitution or commercial sexual services may not occur otherwise than in a brothel or a small owner-operated brothel.” This bill went back to the Local Government and Environment Committee.In the 2011 election George Hawkins retired and the bill was then picked up in the 50th Parliament by the former member for Manukau East Ross Robertson. I sat on the Local Government and Environment Committee for 2 years and I need to tell members of this House that we gave this bill serious consideration. Once again we heard evidence we reheard evidence and we sought legal advice and advice from the Auckland Council.By the end of 2014 before the election the committee had come to the conclusion that the bill was not needed. That was the conclusion of the committee. We had looked at the evidence; that was the decision. And it was the decision for the following two reasons. Auckland City we were told by all the opinions we got could already make a by-law. It did not need this House to make a by-law for it. It could make a by-law to control street prostitution. We did not need to waste the time of this Parliament making a by-law.The second reason was that we knew and heard that lining up behind this Auckland City were a whole lot of councils wanting their by-law. So we could in theory have up to 70 councils coming wanting their particular by-law around street prostitution. We said that this was a nonsense. We could not have a whole lot of local bills clogging up this Parliament when there was the ability for Auckland City to make a by-law and it ought to get on with it. Certainly Christchurch was one of the first that was lining up but there were others around New Zealand. Unfortunately the bill was not concluded before the House rose for the last election.So finally we get to the 51st Parliament and this bill now in its fourth Parliament has reached this point today. We think it is time to stop after 10 years of Parliament’s time and money and say to the Auckland Council: “Pass a by-law because you can. If that is what Auckland wants to do just get on with the job.” The select committee recommends that this bill not be passed and that we conclude this bill here at the second reading as we did with the first bill that the Hon George Hawkins introduced way back in 2005.Can I just say in conclusion that I want to thank the committees that have worked on this bill. I say to the people of Auckland and the councils that have been involved that it was taken very seriously. We looked at all the issues. We believe that we have come up with the right solution. Also I want to thank the three members who have promoted this bill—as good members would promote a local bill—George Hawkins Ross Robertson and Su’a William Sio who have faithfully brought this bill and argued it for their local community. I know that they will be disappointed that it has not proceeded but they also understand and know that Auckland City can go ahead tomorrow if it wishes and prepare a by-law—Hon David Parker: Some councils have.Hon ANNETTE KING: —and in fact Hamilton is one of those that has so we know that it is possible. In fact some of those that have joined the super-city had already created their own by-laws.So I say to those former members who may be missing thank you for your hard work but this is going to hopefully be the end of this bill and the end of the time of this Parliament dealing with it.