Page 3186 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 18 November 1992
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MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (12.07): That is a legitimate question, Mr Kaine. I addressed that briefly at the in-principle stage by saying that the original Bill locked into Fyshwick and Mitchell. We think it is more sensible to have prescription which is accountable to this Assembly. It is our intention to prescribe only the current locations of Fyshwick and Mitchell. There may be a case at some stage in the future for that to be expanded, although - as I think I said - there is a legitimate community concern, which I would sympathise with, that we should not see brothels located in suburban areas. I know that that is contrary to the views of the brothel owners association. I know that it is contrary to the practice in Victoria, where brothels are appearing in suburban areas. But it is our present intention to provide by regulation for Fyshwick and Mitchell only. The Assembly will have ultimate control over any expansion on that.
Amendment agreed to.
Clause, as amended, agreed to.
Clause 6
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (12.08): I move:
Page 3, line 22, omit "or imprisonment for 4 months".
As is apparent from the explanatory memorandum, this amendment reduces somewhat the penalty for public soliciting, leaving it punishable by a fine of $2,000. The intention is to have some consistency between fines throughout the legislation.
Amendment agreed to.
Clause, as amended, agreed to.
Clauses 7 and 8, by leave, taken together, and agreed to.
Clause 9
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (12.09): I move:
Page 4, line 3, omit the clause, substitute the following clause:
Age of child - burden of proof
"9. It is a defence to a prosecution under subsection 6(2) or section 7 if it is established that the defendant -
(a) took reasonable steps to ascertain the age of the child concerned; and
(b) believed on reasonable grounds that the child had attained 18 years of age.".
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