The Star: October 05, 2017

The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday October 5 2017 15
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HANG OUT: Prostitutes on the corner of Manchester St and Bealey Ave.
Fight to remove sex
workers near homes
•From page 12
However, a letter to residents from city
council chief executive Karleen Edwards
and Canterbury Metro Commander Superintendent
Lane Todd said a bylaw is no
longer supported by police.
Under the Local Government Act as it
now stands, a bylaw would be difficult to
enforce, instant fines could not be issued,
and arrests could not be made, the letter
states. Attempts to regulate prostitution in
Manukau have repeatedly failed.
The move was supported by Prostitute’s
Collective co-ordinator Catherine Healy
who said it was a “forward-thinking decision”.
Ms Healey said it was better to manage
sex workers with street lighting and cameras,
rather than new rules.
But the sudden u-turn has outraged Mr
Bonis, spokesman for his fellow residents.
“Our concerns are not around prostitution.
We don’t care, it’s part of every city.
We are simply tired and don’t want it happening
here anymore,” Mr Bonis says.
“The PRA (Prostitution Reform Act
2003) is there and it’s an industry like
every other. But unlike every other
industry, which have responsibilities that
go with those rights, this industry has
absolutely no responsibilities at all, to the
point where police have actually said they
are going to cherry-pick bylaws they are
going to enforce, and they’re not going to
do this one.
“Sex workers in our community can go
where they like, when they like, and do
what they like, and I cannot see in a New
Zealand society where that is appropriate
as a matter of law. We wouldn’t let
panelbeaters or tradies be here, why is it
appropriate for them to be there? That’s
the conversation we’ve tried to have for
the last six years and just got nowhere.”
City councillor Deon Swiggs is also
frustrated by the latest developments,
which he described as being a “slap in the
face”.
“It’s disappointing that the police went
into this, working with the council and
the residents, saying they would support
both of us regulating the activity in this
residential area,” Cr Swiggs said.
“For [police] to tell us late in the piece
that they wouldn’t support it has been
very frustrating and leaves us with very
little option to deliver on the expectation
that the residents have. As a council, we
should be able to deliver on the wish of
residents who are facing issues of this
nature.”
Mr Bonis is now engaged with lawyers
and exploring possible legal avenues.
He fears that without regulation, the
situation will only worsen for residents
like him.
“The next step is either to go to the High
Court or leave. They’re the two choices
that the council and the police have left
us,” he says.
“To me, the argument is black and
white: Should a commercial activity be
allowed in a residential area at night? And
the answer to that is no.”
-NZ Herald
WATCH: The
city council
installed a
permanent
camera on
the corner of
Manchester
and Purchas
Sts to deter
anti-social
behaviour.
PHOTO:
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