There are a few problems with this thread:
1. The southern hemisphere does get frost - ever hear of the Andes (or Antarctica for that matter)?
2. Mother plants stay in veg because they have 18-24 hours of light.
I believe your question is would a plant flower if grown at or near the equator where the days are almost always 12/12. Without hearing from someone that has actually lived near the equator, I believe the answer is yes. As chitown pointed out, the plant would veg for a while, then flower naturally.
The closest experience I have to this is Hawaii (have a friend that lives/grows there). Plants started and finished outdoors will flower as day-light gets a bit shorter. The change is very subtle (from 12.5/11.5 to 11.5/12.5), but just enough to initiate flowering. Most growers in these areas will start indoors and put plants outdoors for flowering.
That's my 2 cents - I'm sure some will disagree with me.