Prostitutes celebrate new legislation

Catherine Healy from Prostitutes' Collective says sex workers will get more protection from decriminalisation of sex industry

26 June 2003

The organisation protecting prostitutes' rights, the Prostitutes' Collective, is celebrating the lifting of the decriminalisation of the sex industry.

MPs narrowly voted to pass the bill, 60 to 59 with Labour MP Ashraf Choudhary the only MP to abstain.

There were loud cheers of joy from supporters in the public gallery when the vote was read out.

National Coordinator of the Prostitutes' Collective, Catherine Healy, says from today, sex workers will no longer fear the repercussions of working in an illegal industry.

She believes they will be more likely to approach the police when they need help.

Ms Healy says opponents of the bill should not expect a proliferation of brothels as a result of last night's vote, and believes discretion will remain a key consideration of the sex industry.

She says brothels will need to establish city council relationships and get the police to refocus their attention from monitoring sex workers as criminals to making sure they are not being exploited