Pro to the question "Should prostitution be legal?"
Reasoning:
"New Zealand has lived in the 19th century for far too long. In this day and age, do most of us really accept that it is fair to arrest and convict sex workers for soliciting while their male (usually) clients do not risk criminalisation?...
Prostitution has been a career option for some people since history began. Nothing any law has done has changed or will change that. Sex workers provide a service which is needed and wanted by many....
I cannot accept that in this day and age our nation should continue to make criminals of sex workers because the Bible says it is wrong. In the first place, Christianity is not the state religion of New Zealand, and even within Christianity there are different interpretations of the Bible and related teachings. Secondly, the only prostitutes directly condemned in the Bible were those who used sex as a method of worship, which is not something commonly practised in this country.
The Bible takes a much stronger stand against adultery than against common whoredom, but I doubt that even the more conservative among us would wish to see adulterers cooling their heels in Auckland Central police station....
And I don't lack a conscience because I believe we would all be better off in a society which had the honesty to accept the job choice that some adults make as valid and worthy of care and compassion, for all our sakes."
Experts
Individuals with MDs, JDs, PhDs, other relevant advanced degrees, and government officials with significant involvement in, or related to, prostitution issues.
Involvement and Affiliations:
Member, New Zealand Parliament, 1999-present
Backbencher of the Year, New Zealand Herald, 2000
Green Party Candidate, Mayor, Auckland, New Zealand, 1998
Chairperson, Auckland People's Centre
Founder and Trustee, Auckland Region Employment Resource Centre
Trustee, Kotare Research and Education for Social Change Trust
National Co-ordinating Committee, Association of NGOs of Aotearoa
