Greens legislation to repeal all sex work offences in South Australia has been referred to a Select Committee during a vote in the Legislative Council today. The motion was moved by Tammy Franks MLC, and received the support of the Government.
Quotes attributable to Tammy Franks MLC:
“Sex work is currently criminalised in South Australia, despite strong public support for decriminalisation. We have some of the most punitive and archaic sex work laws in the country. Previous attempts at decriminalisation have consistently passed in the Upper House, only to fail in the Lower House – largely because of disagreement amongst members on how then to “regulate” sex work. The Greens Bill takes away that complication, and instead focuses on whether we need the offences relating to sex work.”
“The only regulation the industry has right now is criminalisation, and that is no way for an industry to operate. Sex work is work, and should be subject to the same laws and protections as any other kind of work. Ongoing criminalisation, against public expectations and against best practice, makes no sense.”
“This is not an issue that is going away. We have come very close to the decriminalisation of sex work in this place before, but debate around the model by which the industry would be regulated always ends up being a stumbling block. This Bill, and this inquiry process through a Select Committee, aims to address that problem.”
Organisations supporting the decriminalisation of sex work in SA:
- Active Left
- Aboriginal Health Council
- Australian Services Union (ASU)
- Business and Professional Women SA
- Coalition of Domestic Violence Services SA
- Commissioner for Equal Opportunity (SA)
- Embolden
- Health Services Union (SA/NT)
- Positive Life SA
- SA Unions
- SAMESH
- SHINE SA
- Soroptimist International
- South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance (SARAA)
- Women’s Community Centre (SA)
- Women's Lawyers Association SA
- Working Women’s Centre (SA)
- YWCA Australia
- Zonta Clubs of South Australia