Parliament of Victoria · Legislative Council · 23 September 2026 · Crime and safety
Sex work regulation: motions
Voting yes supported a motion noting that a child cannot consent to commercial sexual exploitation and calling on the government to amend legislation to describe children as victims, make consent irrelevant, and create an offence for in-person sexual services where a child is present.
The question put
That this house: (1) notes that: (a) a child cannot consent to commercial sexual exploitation; (b) the Crimes Act 1958 describes a child as a ‘provider’ or ‘client’ of commercial sexual services; (c) Victoria no longer has a clear rule that a child must not be present where those services are taking place; (2) calls on the government to amend legislation so that: (a) a child is described as a victim of commercial sexual exploitation, not as a participant in the sex industry; (b) any purported consent or willingness of the child is irrelevant; and (c) it is an offence to conduct in-person commercial sexual services where a child is present, including in a private home.
How each party voted
- LaborAll no0 yes · 15 no
- LiberalAll yes11 yes · 0 no
11 members
- GreensAll no0 yes · 4 no
4 members
Smaller parties and independents
- NoDavid EttershankLegalise Cannabis
- NoRachel PayneLegalise Cannabis
- YesGaelle BroadNationals
- YesMelina BathNationals
- NoGeorgie PurcellAnimal Justice Party
- YesMoira DeemingFamily First
- YesDavid LimbrickLibertarian Party
- YesRikkie-Lee TyrrellOne Nation
- YesJeff BourmanShooters, Fishers and Farmers Party
Members who didn't vote (absent, paired or in the chair) aren't listed. A party votes as one when at least three quarters of its members vote together.
Source: Hansard, Parliament of Victoria. The summary is AI-written from the question and the bill's official summary, then checked; the record above is the authority.