Thursday, 19 June 2025

North-Eastern Metropolitan Region

Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:58): (1667) My constituency question is to the Minister for Consumer Affairs. Sex workers and advocates in Melbourne’s north-east have raised concerns about the financial discrimination that they face from clients and from financial institutions. They have told me of instances where clients refuse to pay or provide false transaction details, leaving them without expected income, as well as financial institutions who deny access to their products, such as merchant services. Sex workers and advocates have told me that this takes a toll not only in sustaining a financial loss but also in the emotional and psychological impact of this behaviour and discrimination, not to mention the pursuit of justice being difficult and exhausting. Minister, can you provide an update on what the government is doing to address these issues, ensuring sex workers in my region are able to work free from this discrimination, particularly highlighting any support services that are available in my electorate?