29 Feb South Australian Government wants employment rights for sex workers
SEX workers should be given the right to appeal against dismissal, a minimum wage and collective bargaining rights, the South Australian Government believes.
But opponents of the sex industry have asked why South Australia has requested that the rights be granted in a review of the Federal Government’s Fair Work Act when prostitution is still illegal in the state.
“The definition of national system employee could be clarified to ensure that employed sex workers can access their industrial entitlements under the Fair Work Act,” the State Government’s submission states.
“South Australia is currently proposing the legalisation of sex work, and within this context notes that the provision of industrial protections for these workers would need to be provided in the national workplace relations system and therefore under the FW Act.”
If sex workers were allowed to be covered under the Act, they would have to be treated as employees by pimps or brothel owners, be given collective bargaining rights, a minimum wage and working conditions, rights to work/life balance, unfair dismissal protection and rights of appeal to the Fair Work Ombudsman, as well as being allowed to join a union.
The only pro-prostitution legislation mooted is being developed by Labor MP Steph Key, but it is not a government Bill and there is no indication if it has the numbers to pass even after it is introduced.
Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire, who has a rival Bill that would make prostitution illegal, questioned why the submission pre-empted the success of the Key Bill.
“Based on this submission, this Government is clearly not only failing to consult but is also ignoring the long-standing conscience vote protocol of the Parliament on prostitution issues.
“The Government need to explain urgently to the community why they would sneakily push this through.”