Waitakere City Council on brothels

Waitakere Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse believes central government needs to take some responsibility to help address community concerns about brothels being in close proximity to schools.

Henderson Intermediate is concerned about a brothel just across from the school in Lincoln Rd and Ms Hulse says while the business is legal and therefore the council cannot do anything about it she believes it is time for some wise heads to address some of the gaps and issues raised by the school and local community.

“No-one wants to recriminalise the sex industry and we do not want to put our sex workers at risk but after seven years of the government’s legislation, which I supported, I think it is time for a review,” she says.

“Prostitution is a lawful activity in New Zealand since the enactment of the Prostitution Reform Act 2003 and I wouldn’t want to change that.

“Other councils do have bylaws yes, but are they being enforced and effectively policed? In some cases the courts have found councils with proximity controls have been acting illegally.

“We haven’t had any problems in this regard in Waitakere but I do want to support our community so we need to get together with all the relevant organisations including central government to see what can be done to address those concerns.”

Ms Hulse says in the first instance she will talk to the Minister of Social Development and local Waitakere MP Paula Bennett.

ENDS

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