Moving prostitutes off New Zealand streets is the only solution to the problems of prostitution – compromises will not work, said NZ First Party Spokesperson for Social Policy/Welfare and Manukau East Asenati Lole-Taylor in a media release on 31 July 2014.

Lole-Taylor failed to retain her seat in parliament at the recent election held on 20 September 2014, so her private member’s bill – Prostitution Reform (Control of Street Prostitution) Amendment Bill – which she submitted to the ballot while a List MP, will need to be re-submitted in the name of another MP, presumably one of the current 11 NZ First Party members, if it has any chance of ever reaching the select committee stage for consideration. It was not selected from the ballot while she was as MP.

The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Prostitution Reform Act 2003 and prohibit street prostitution in New Zealand. The Bill restricts the locations where the business of prostitution or commercial sex services may occur to licensed or small owner-operated brothels. [Read more…]