Prostitution Reform Act 2003

The Prostitution Reform Act 2003 is an Act of Parliament that decriminalised prostitution in New Zealand. The Act also gave new rights to sex workers. It has attracted international attention, although its reception has been mixed. The Act repealed the Massage Parlours Act 1978 and the associated regulations.

The Act was introduced as a member's bill by Tim Barnett after being drawn from a ballot. Members were allowed a conscience vote, and on 25 June 2003, the bill passed its third reading by a margin of one vote (60–59), after the country's only Muslim MP, Ashraf Choudhary, voted to abstain, thereby allowing the bill to narrowly pass.

The Prostitution Reform Act decriminalises prostitution and gives new rights to sex workers. The Act also repealed the Massage Parlours Act, effectively eliminating voluntary adult (age 18 and up) prostitution from criminal law and replacing it with civil law at both the national and local levels. The Summary Offences Act remains in force in relation to soliciting, which may be classed as offensive behaviour.

Section 3 of the Act defines its purpose:

The purpose of this Act is to decriminalise prostitution (while not endorsing or morally sanctioning prostitution or its use) and to create a framework that—

— Prostitution Reform Act 2003 s3

Section 11 prohibits advertising commercial sexual services on radio, television, in a cinema, and outside the classifieds section of a newspaper or periodical. Offenders may be fined up to $10,000 for an individual and $50,000 for a corporation.

Section 16 prohibits inducing or compelling a person to provide commercial sexual services, including providing payment or reward derived from such services. Convicted offenders may be imprisoned for up to 14 years.