The sex trade is harmful.

Don’t legalise brothels!!

Our State Government has released a discussion paper on prostitution reform*, presenting three options: decriminalisation, criminalisation, and licensing.

Tasmania’s Attorney-General Brian Wightman is pushing for the decriminalisation of brothels, including setting up a statutory body to license sex workers and brothel owners (ABC News, 20/1/12).

The public has been asked to put submissions in answering key questions detailed in the paper before 9 March 2012. Photo courtesy D Sharon Pruitt What can you do? Write a short response expressing in your own words that you do NOT want the government to allow licensed brothels anywhere in Tasmania.

Send your letter: By mail to: Project Manager – Regulation of the Sex Industry in Tasmania, Department of Justice, GPO Box 825, Hobart TAS 7001. Or by email to: [email protected]

Send a copy of your comments to Premier Lara Giddings, Attorney-General Brian Wightman and your local state MP (details overleaf). You can also phone his or her electorate office – leave a message asking the MP to oppose any moves to legalise brothels. Make sure to include your name and home address/postcode in all letters and emails.

Mention, in your own words:  That you support the criminalisation model otherwise known as the Swedish approach.  The government should not give approval to “state sanctioned exploitation” of women by treating brothels as normal businesses.  In every Australian state that has decriminalised the sex trade there has been an upsurge in prostitution – in both legal and illegal brothels – and sex trafficking and slavery. It is “out of control” (The Age, 7/3/11; SMH, 13/10/11).  Four Corners (ABC1, 10/10/11) showed scenes of pimping, sex trafficking and sex slavery in legal brothels in Victoria and NSW: http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2011/10/06/3333668.htm  Research shows that most prostitutes suffer mental ill-health, including post traumatic stress disorders, because of their experiences. Most take illicit drugs to dull their mental and physical pain.  Only Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Norway and Iceland) have been able to minimise sex trafficking – by banning procuring, pimping as well as the purchase of sex services. Tasmanian laws should be reformed in the same way: criminalising sexual purchases and keeping brothels illegal.

Also ask these questions, in your own words:  Do you truly believe it is appropriate that young Tasmanian girls and boys should have brothel work endorsed as a government-sanctioned career option?  If you believe brothels should be decriminalised/made legal – where exactly in my local suburb would you allow them to be set up?

* Read the paper at http://www.justice.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/188738/Regulation_of_the_Sex_Industry_Discussion_Paper.pdf.

For more information, contact FamilyVoice Australia (ph 1300 365 965) or Jim Collins [email protected] ‘A Christian voice for family, faith and freedom’: www.fava.org.au

TAS House of Assembly Find out which electorate you live in at www.electoral.tas.gov.au

Electorate Name (add MP after name) Postal Address Email Phone Bass Mr Michael Ferguson 4th Floor Henty House,1 Civic [email protected] 6336 2427 Square, LAUNCESTON 7250 Bass Mr Peter Gutwein 4th Floor Henty House [email protected] 6336 2671 1 Civic Square, LAUNCESTON 7250 Bass Mr Kim Booth Level 1, 162 Macquarie Street [email protected] 6233 8300 HOBART 7000 Bass Mr Brian Wightman 1st Floor, Public Buildings [email protected] 6336 2637 53 St John Street, LAUNCESTON 7250 Bass The Hon Michelle Ground Floor, Public Buildings [email protected] 6336 2452 O’Byrne 53 St John Street, LAUNCESTON 7250 Braddon Mr Adam Brooks 47B Best Street, DEVONPORT [email protected] 6434 6391 7000 Braddon Mr Paul O’Halloran House of Assembly, Parliament [email protected] 6233 8300 House HOBART 7000 Braddon Mr Brenton Best 68 Rooke Street Mall, Devonport, [email protected] 6421 7889 7310. Braddon The Hon Parliamentary Offices, 80B Wilson [email protected] 6233 6454 Street BURNIE 7320 Braddon Mr Jeremy Rockliff 47B Best Street, DEVONPORT [email protected] 6421 7930 7000 Denison Mr Scott Bacon 353 Main Road, GLENORCHY [email protected] 6233 8874 7010 Denison Mr Matthew Groom Level 1, Reserve Bank [email protected] 6233 2433 Building,111 Macquarie Street HOBART 7000 Denison Ms 62 Main Road, MOONAH 7009 [email protected] 6233 5995 Denison Ms Cassy O’Connor Level 9 Marine Board Building, 1 [email protected] 6233 6756 Franklin Wharf HOBART 7000 Denison Mr 95 Main Road, MOONAH 7009 [email protected] 6233 2530 Franklin The Hon David 9th Floor, Executive Building, 15 [email protected] 6233 8892 O’Byrne Murray Street HOBART 7000 Franklin The Hon Will Channel Court Shopping Centre, [email protected] 6211 8507 Hodgman KINGSTON 7050 Franklin Mrs Jacquie Petrusma 27 South Arm Road, ROKEBY [email protected] 6214 6000 7019 Franklin The Hon Lara 11th Floor, Executive Building, 15 [email protected] 6233 3464 Giddings Murray Street HOBART 7000 Franklin The Hon Nick McKim Level 9, Marine Board Building, 1 [email protected] 6233 6756 Franklin Wharf HOBART 7000 Lyons Mr Mark Shelton 17A Marlborough Street, [email protected] 6397 7411 LONGFORD 7301 Lyons Ms Rebecca White 33 Cole Street, SORELLTAS 7172 [email protected] 6265 6644 Lyons Mr Tim Morris Shop 9, Cove Hill Shopping [email protected] 6263 3801 Centre, BRIDGEWATER 7030 Lyons The Hon Michael 10A Marlborough Street, [email protected] 6397 7408 Polley LONGFORD 7301 Lyons Mr Rene Hidding 17A Marlborough Street, [email protected] 6397 7411 LONGFORD 7301

More contact information can be found at: http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/ha/halists.pdf