Independent Member for Alfred Cove Dr Janet Woollard believes that State Government's proposed prostitution law reform will prevent brothels opening in residential suburbs within the Alfred Cove Electorate.

“Community members have told me that brothels should be closed down,” said Dr Woollard.

“During the discussion of the proposed prostitution law reforms in Parliament on 25 November 2010, the Attorney General had said:

"No form of prostitution will be lawful in areas zoned for esidential or mixed residential use; or where residential dwellings are a permitted use under local government planning schemes.."

“If brothels are not allowed in residential or mixed residential use areas, the town planning advice I have received is that brothels will be banned within suburbs in the Electorate of Alfred Cove."

Dr Woollard warns that other suburbs within the City of Melville may not be protected under these reforms.

“Brothels could operate within areas classified as "Industrial", or where residential use is not permitted under the City of Melville.s Community Planning Scheme No. 5,” said Dr Woollard.

“Some of these areas include industrial zones in Palmyra south of Leach Highway and at the border of Kardinya and O'Connor. However, in these areas prostitution businesses would not be allowed within 100m of residential homes and 200m of protected places such as schools, hospitals and places of worship.

“Prostitution leads to children and women being abused, and is associated with other crimes such as illegal drugs and human trafficking.

“Brothels should be closed down.

“If the Swedish approach to prostitution were adopted, we would see brothels banned, prostitutes being assisted to find alternative employment, and human trafficking reduced.”

“Some prostitutes have told me that they do not believe they will ever physically or mentally recover from this type of work,” said Dr Woollard.

“If the Government allows brothels to exist, all prostitutes should be registered and there should be provisions to enable an annual and random drug and health checks of prostitutes.

“In addition, the Government should set a maximum on the number of prostitutes allowed to work within this industry with numbers being reduced on an annual basis with a target of
ending all forms of prostitution within 5 years.

“If any prostitute tests positive for drugs during an annual or random check, the prostitute should be deregistered, and if working in a brothel, it should be closed."

Dr Woollard said the Government needs to hear from members of the community on how they feel about these proposed reforms.

“Those who want to see all brothels closed can send an email to
prostitution_reform_feedback@justice.wa.gov.au or write to the Attorney General at 29th Floor, Allendale Square, 77 St George.s Terrace, Perth WA 6000,” said Dr Woollard.

Note to Journalist:
Under the Swedish model, the number of women in prostitution dramatically decreased in the first five years, and in Stockholm, the number of customers reduced by 80%. The number of foreign women being trafficked into Sweden for sex has also reduced, and Swedish brothels and massage parlours which proliferated during the decades when prostitution was legal in Sweden have reportedly closed down.