Auckland Council has voted to extend the geographic reach of a controversial bill before Parliament that would outlaw street prostitution in Auckland.
The council on Thursday voted to amend the Regulation in Specified Places Bill, which will let it dictate where street workers can solicit from and allow police to arrest and fine them and their clients.
The bill was put together by the now defunct Manukau City Council and had previously been supported by the Auckland Council.
It is changing the definition of district to now mean the entire district of the Auckland Council.
The Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board on Thursday showed councillors a video of residents describing the harm street prostitution is doing to their community.
Board chairperson John McCracken says residents feel like prisoners in their homes because they fear going onto streets where prostitutes are working.
