The Victorian Labor Government’s Track Record on Sex Workers’ Rights

This webpage is provided as a guide to help inform voters about how political parties and candidates have performed when it comes to sex workers’ rights. 

Sex Work Law Reform Victoria is not affiliated with any political party, candidate, councillor or local government. Sex Work Law Reform Victoria Inc. does not endorse or campaign for any political party or candidate. We believe all political parties can potentially work towards enhancing sex workers’ rights and we encourage all political parties to take an ongoing interest in sex workers’ rights. We have never donated to a political party, candidate, councillor or local government. We have never received money from any political parties, candidates, councillors or local governments. We have never applied for or received grants from the Victorian Government or any local government. We are a registered not-for-profit organisation. We are not a registered charity.

We understand sex workers have a wide range of views about politics and we respect diversity of views.

Each political party is rated based on their track record on sex workers’ rights. Each party’s conduct during this term of parliament (2018 – 2022) is given the most weight; conduct prior to 2018 is considered but given less weight. The following were taken into consideration in the ranking process:

• the party’s voting record in state parliament on bills relevant to sex workers’ rights
• the party’s voting record on sex work council motions
• the party’s policy/platform on sex work
• the party’s published reports, media releases
• the party’s members’ statements in the media about sex work
• whether councillors or state members of the party have lobbied for or against sex workers’ rights (based on publicly available sources)
• speeches in state parliament or council meetings regarding sex work
• funding of government agencies specifically targeted to benefit sex workers

• private conversations
• the number of times members of parliament privately met with sex workers from our group or other sex worker groups
• the personalities of members of parties or their leaders
• information not in the public realm
• voting records or statements made about bills or motions not related to sex work
• the conduct of party members after they have left the party

The following registered political parties have no track record on sex workers’ rights as they had no sitting members in either of the chambers of the Victorian Parliament during this parliamentary term (2018 – 2022). These political parties also have no policy on sex work. As such, they cannot be rated or compared from a sex workers’ rights perspective.

• Companions and Pets Party
• Family First Victoria
• Freedom Party of Victoria
• Health Australia Party
• Legalise Cannabis Victoria
• New Democrats
• Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party
• Restore Democracy Sack Dan Andrews Party
• United Australia Party
• Victorian Socialists

We have not assessed independent candidates unaffiliated with a registered political party.