I see what you're saying, but if the act itself is not illegal then why does anyone need punishing?
I don't think anyone does. I am firmly in the legalised, licenced, regularly inspected brothels camp.
He also seems to have his moral compass firmly set towards that anyway. I mean just look at his stance on drugs, order a review and then ignore their advice and did the opposite, because that's what his morals (or maybe just the tabloids) told him to do.
He and the rest of the government occasionally make the mistake of believing that what the newspapers say on their front pages is what the country agrees with and wants.