Labor’s Campaign
Labor campaigns in the looming 2018 Victorian election, making a number of election promises, but none relate to sex work. Labor hopes to be returned for a further four year term. Labor barely mentions sex work in the campaign, instead focusses on more traditional mainstream issues likely to win votes.
The Greens
Despite adopting a policy of supporting sex work decriminalisation, the Greens preselect a high profile anti-sex work activist to contest the seat of Richmond. The Greens candidate faces numerous noisy protests from sex worker activists.
The Reason Party (formerly The Australian Sex Party)
The most prominent member of the Reason Party, Fiona Patten, is not the only candidate representing The Reason Party. The party runs Jarryd Bartle, a media savvy sex industry lobbyist and former lawyer, to contest the seat of Albert Park. Mr Bartle frequently engages with the media, raising the issue of sex workers’ rights.
The Australian Conservatives
The newly formed socially conservative party run an anti-sex work candidate in the Lower House seat of Werribee.