Sex Industry Reform

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:13): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for the Status of Women a question about prostitution.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: In the 20-odd years I have been in this parliament, legislation around decriminalisation of prostitution has been introduced on a regular basis. Interestingly enough, almost without exception, on every occasion it has been introduced by a female member of parliament. As Minister for the Status of Women, what work has her office done on surveys and assessments across the state with women in South Australia as to whether or not they support the decriminalisation of prostitution?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (15:40): I thank the honourable member for his most important question and this wonderful opportunity to share with the chamber the enormous amount of support that an approach to the decriminalisation of prostitution has here in this state. It is overwhelmingly supported by men and women in this state, and that is why, when the private member's bill is introduced very soon, we hope that honourable members will listen and—

The Hon. T.A. Franks: It's already been listed.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: It's already listed, is it? I beg your pardon. I knew it was in the other house. I look forward to its progressing through this house with the support of all honourable members. We know that the current legislation is quite simply ridiculous. It is unfair, unreasonable and basically a relic of the past. We currently have legislation that makes prostitution a crime, but it targets the prostitutes, mainly women, and does not seek to take on the customer—how absurd is that?

The fact that it is criminalised—we have a current position where prostitution is a criminal offence—is a complete relic of the past. These women and men deserve to be able to work in safe environments, to have their rights protected, particularly their industrial and occupational health and safety rights. I am of the strong belief that through a decriminalisation approach we can do this.

I cannot begin to provide all the feedback I have received from men and women around this. Wherever I go it is overwhelmingly supported. There are some operational details about the particular legislative approaches on which people are divided, but the general principle that prostitution should not be a criminal offence is generally well supported right throughout the states. I look forward to honourable members' support for this important piece of legislation, which we will have an opportunity to debate soon.