Sex party founder Fiona Patten’s push for brothels next to kindergartens and churches will not only put children at risk, but it will also increase the trafficking of young women.

Patten, who now leads the so-called “Reason Party” in the Victorian Parliament has won support from Labor Premier Dan Andrews to expand the exploitation of young women through legal prostitution.

Thanks to lobbying by Patten, planning laws for brothels will be relaxed.

Family First Lead Candidate Lee Jones said nothing good came of prostitution and Victoria should be following the lead of progressive European countries which have adopted the Nordic model which criminalises the mostly male buyers of prostituted women.

“It’s ironic that Dan Andrews and Fiona Patten have created zones where it is illegal to peacefully pray, such as outside an abortion clinic, but a brothel is allowed to set up next door to a church or kindergarten.”

Mr Jones said the Patten-Andrews relaxation of planning rules for brothels came as the Age newspaper reports that the Australian Federal Police have uncovered trafficking of young women in Victorian Government-licensed brothels.

“The Patten-Andrews brothel policy is unsafe for young women yet they want to further relax planning laws to put brothels in the suburbs.

“Allowing a former sex industry lobbyist to be the moral compass for his Labor government is only putting young women at risk as well as children whose kindergartens can now have a brothel next door.

“Family First is fielding Upper House candidates in all eight Divisions and most Lower House Districts who are committed to protecting Victorian women and families from the harms of a Patten-Andrews’ government,” Mr Jones said.