Well, prostitution becomes legal on Monday. Presumably it will be the first thing on the Governor General's desk on Monday morning. Nothing like the royal assent to improve the rights of prostitutes.
Largely due to a friend of mine suggesting it, I went down to Parliament to watch the debate and voting. Not exactly an inspiring experience, but strangely comforting.
The debate was extremely civil. I actually think that Georgina's speech tipped the balance simply because it shook MPs out of inertia. She made it abundantly clear that not voting for a law change wasn't just a passive activity, it was actually an activity with life and death consequences. It was an excellent speach to hear in full, and I was moved that our House of Representatives could contain it and allow it to be heard.
The speech also raised the stakes for the other MPs. To their credit, they (whether for or against) were really respectful of each other. There was almost no comment on each other's speeches, and there was no denegration of either the prostitutes, their clients, nor the other politicians or lobbyists.
And Lockwood Smith (I was on the side where I could only see the Nat MPs) was a facinating study. He came in for the last speech and voted yes. Then returned to his seat for a minute or two and wandered off to do something else. All with this strange smile on his face like he was doing something with peculiarly satisfying personal reasons. I definitely got the impression he was playing some strange game with someone who wasn't in the audience.
Neither the Prime Minister nor Bill English were there - which I thought was odd for such an interesting issue. Perhaps the Nats are working exceptionally hard on the recent Maori land decisions.
Donna Awatere Huata didn't really need the surgery for loosing weight, she looked like she was about to get uncomfortably pointy. All the Greens were in attendance, and Nandor was wearing a Jesus loves hookers t-shirt.
I'm used to our politicians being reasonably accessible (I once bumped into Jenny Shipley PM doing the family Christmas shopping at Thorndon New World), but I love how there are some examples of MPs who are not from the dominant demographic. I think it made the debate much, much more meaningful as a process of creating law to have someone who had actually been a prostitute speaking in the debate. There is something important about those experiences not being filtered through the educated people who generally lobby and express these issues. That said, I was pleased to see Jan Jordan there. She's responsible for a large amount of research that genuinely brings the reality of these areas of our society into a sphere where it can be digested by the organs of power (I'm tired, sorry about that sentence, but there is nothing I can do about it now).
It was also really warm, and the seats were comfortable. I now plan to get very old, and very odd, and save on heating bills by attending Parliament more than the MPs.
carla
Posted by carla at June 26, 2003 10:46 PMYay Nandor!
At the Australasian society for the study of Religion conference last year, I went to a paper given by a woman who was working on the bill and was very impressed by the research that was going into it, so I'm well pleased that it went through. Should be interesting what comes of it...
Posted by: Siobhann at June 26, 2003 11:35 PMYay yay yay... I wanted to go, but couldn't cos I was busy. And it would have been too stressful. I can't *believe* it was that close, it's ridiculous, it's a basic human rights / justice issue.
Hmmmm... Georgina actually wasn't very helpful in the early stages of the campaign, but I'm glad she jumped on board.
I'm really very stoked that it got through. I want to have a party to celebrate, but I've got all my assessment due on Monday... speaking of which...
Posted by: Fi at June 26, 2003 11:54 PM(Actually it becomes decriminalised, which is slightly different from becoming legalised).
Posted by: Fi at June 27, 2003 12:25 AMack! Normally I am a complete pedant about the legalisation/decriminalisation distinction. But not so much when tired, obviously.
:)
Posted by: carla at June 27, 2003 08:59 AMYeah I'm rapt about the vote too. Especially with Chaudry's decision to be staunch. As for my mate, he's pissed off that the price will go up because of tax and GST ... ha ha.
Now the cops can't extort and stand over sex workers any more either. They're going to have to pay like everyone else.
have a nice day :)
I am fascinated by the fact that OSH are going to get in on the industry now. Aside from providing condoms, which I assume they will do if they make them mandatory, will there be ergonomic assesments? Will OSH workers require a whole new set of skills, or at the very least a day's training?
Lockwood Smith is the creepiest man alive. He was smiling? This terrifies me, he has the most unpleasant smirk I have ever seen. Maybe this is all because I was studying when he was Education Minister, and being a right smarmy bastard about it.
I also love the diversity of our MPs, a pleasant side-effect of MMP. Hang on is it a side-effect, or the whole point?
Posted by: Eleanor at June 27, 2003 12:17 PMYeah, I thought it was great that we have an MP willing to stand up in Parliment and talk about her experience as a prostitute. Interesting isn't it than no one was prepared to talk about there experience as a john.
Posted by: RUTH at July 1, 2003 10:53 AMespecially given Lockwood Smith's smile. I could have sworn he was paying back a very old favour. :)
Posted by: carla at July 5, 2003 11:30 AM