Alex Bainbridge, Hobart
After years of advocating for a bill to legalise brothels, the state government announced on October 5 that it would amend draft legislation to instead ban brothels outright. The new legislation was passed by Tasmania's upper house on October 19.
At the last minute, the government withdrew new provisions to allow police to access the personal bank accounts of alleged brothel operators. However, "men who visit commercial brothels for sex will risk one year's imprisonment or a fine of $10,000", according to the October 20 Mercury newspaper.
"But if the clients agree to turn informer and confirm they paid a prostitute for sex in an established brothel, or dob in the brothel owner, they can escape prosecution."
Further, police will have the power to arrest, without a warrant, people suspected of breaking the new law. Those charged will be unable to find out what police intelligence was used to charge them.
Prostitution per se is not illegal in Tasmania. However, it is illegal "to live off the earnings of prostitution". "The original legislation was far from perfect, but the government's backflip will make things worse", said Socialist Alliance member and feminist campaigner Kamala Emanuel. "Banning brothels will just drive them underground and make conditions worse for the women working in them", she said.
Emanuel told GLW that the Socialist Alliance favours the repeal of all laws that criminalise prostitutes, including laws against brothels. "Our 'Gender Agenda' also calls for public funding for comprehensive health care, legal and personal support services, and alternative employment opportunities for sex workers", she said.
From Green Left Weekly, October 26, 2005.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.