Has anyone looked at the draconian laws which the West Australian Government has drafted to control prostitution?

I am a happily married man with no need for the services of the ladies of the night. However, I respect their right to provide a service which is in demand and harms no-one. The stories about all prostitutes being desperate drug addicts or abused women are just that. Stories, half-truths and lies peddled by churches and their followers who, unfortunately, seem to include too many politicians. The proposed legislation merely panders to religious bigots and other wowsers who want to ban the sex industry altogether.

Over half of the sex workers in W.A. operate from private homes and most have little or no impact on their neighbours. I once lived next door to a "working girl" and she caused no problems - the other neighbour’s yappy terrier was far worse. The only problem which needs fixing is that of (mainly Asian) pimps setting up brothels in suburban houses using girls who, if not slaves, are close to it. These gangsters are a blight on our society but can and should be dealt with under existing laws. But hands off the well-run brothels and private workers who are harming no-one and providing a useful outlet for the sexually underprivileged.

I believe the laws should allow the sex industry in Western Australia to continue to operate as it does now without these bureaucratic and onerous registration provisions. I am sure the owners of the better run houses and organisations like Scarlet Alliance would be happy to help draft them and it is a pity they weren't consulted earlier.

The laws are to be debated in Parliament on July 23 and submissions can be made via this website which shows a summary of the proposed laws.

http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Results.aspx?ItemID=141141

I urge everyone to read the draft and send the Government a clear message that we will not tolerate oppressive laws like these. If the religious wowsers get away with this who knows what will be targeted next?

Dear MM,

Where there is a demand there will always be a supply as the saying goes. The same applies to the oldest profession. It's far better to have it regulated, health checks and standards in place - then to encourage "street" walkers. Therefore WA needs to look to other states, and get with the times, and health and safety standards.

Will never happen. Prostitution is an industry, WA does not have industry.

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Lexi, there is no problem with having sensible laws governing prostitution. My beef is with the draconian way our wowser-dominated Government proposes going about it. Their obvious agenda is not to control it, rather to stigmatise it and, in all probability, drive it underground.

It really is time we took a stand against the rising tide of wowserish puritanism. Let this pass and the liquor laws wll be next. The Government is already considering a study recommending sweeping "reform" which really amounts to further restrictions. If you don't want Nanny-State laws intruding further into social matters best get involved now.