Drive for 'equality' laws for South Australia's sex workers

MP Steph Key is lodging a private members Bill to decriminalise prostitution with a sex worker at a Brothel in Adelaide. Picture: Simon Cross Source: AdelaideNow

It is one of several sweeping changes to existing laws in a Private Members Bill to be presented to State Parliament early next year by Labor MP and sex worker crusader Steph Key.

It will be the state's first attempt in a decade to decriminalise the world's oldest profession by offering MPs a conscience vote on the issue.

But unlike with the 2001 Bill - supported by the House of Assembly but defeated in the Upper House - Ms Key is confident her Bill will get the numbers to bring SA into line with the eastern states, which have already decriminalised prostitution by varying degrees. A survey of leading MPs shows growing support for the controversial move.

Those politicians who have given "in-principle support" for decriminalisation include Treasurer Kevin Foley, ministers Gail Gago and John Hill, Speaker of the House Lyn Breuer, Liberal deputy leader in the Upper House Michelle Lensink, Liberal shadow minister and MLC Stephen Wade and Greens MLCs Mark Parnell and Tammy Franks.

Attorney-General John Rau and Industrial Relations Minister Paul Holloway have also been advising Ms Key on drafting the legislation, while a taskforce of 12 members of the Labor Caucus have been examining interstate and overseas legislation.

Ms Key said the Bill would:

LEGALISE the provision of sexual services.

ALLOW street walkers to provide services at premises.

LEGALISE call-out (escort) services.

NOT require prostitutes to register as sex workers.

NOT subject sex workers to mandatory health checks.

SUBJECT brothels to occupational health and safety laws.

LIMIT the minimum age at which a person can be a sex worker to 18.

Ms Key said the Bill was about treating prostitutes and their workplaces the same as all other employees and places of employment.

"Most sex workers pay income tax so they deserve the protection and rights other employees enjoy," the Ashford MP said.

"I've heard lots of examples from sex workers where police and other people in positions of power have blackmailed them into providing free services or doing other illegal activity because their profession is illegal. So decriminalisation would help promote the reporting of drugs, organised crime and corruption."

The Port Adelaide Enfield Council called on the State Government in July to consider legalising prostitution, following claims some street-walking sex workers had been the target of vigilante attacks.

When the 2001 Bill to change prostitution laws was defeated 12-7 in the Upper House, female MPs Di Laidlaw and Sandra Kanck broke down in tears.

Ms Laidlaw was so upset, she accused her male counterparts of being "gutless".