Remember when: The Gold Coast council planned in 1991 to ban new sex shops from the city

THE Gold Coast City Council ignored ministerial warnings by pushing ahead with moves to keep sex shops out of the city.

Gold Coast History: Gold Coast Bulletin 1991, December 27. Front page.

Gold Coast Bulletin, Friday December 27, 1991

THE Gold Coast City Council ignored ministerial warnings by pushing ahead with moves to keep sex shops out of the city.

Both deputy premier Tom Burns and justice minister Glenn Milliner warned the council not to use its planning powers to impose its morals on others.

But mayor Lex Bell said the council was reflecting the views of the community.

In the past when anyone had attempted to set up a sex shop there had been a significant public outcry, Cr Bell said.

“The Gold Coast City Council is reflecting strong community wishes,” said Cr Bell.

“Both ministers have tried to dissuade the council from proceeding with this by-law.”

He told the Bulletin that the Alderman wanted a clear by-law and if the government tried to stop them it would cause “political difficulties”.

“If the Local Government Department refuses to gazette the by-law, that will be a matter of some public comment,” he said.

Cr Bell said the Tweed Shire Council, which did not have the power to enforce by-laws, had placed pressure on the NSW Government to stop further sex shops being established there.

Mr Burns said moral issues should be separated from town planning considerations, which were concerned with economic, social and environmental matters.

“While control of sex shops would doubtless receive widespread public support, I am advised that a precedent would be established for the introduction into the planning arena of other essentially moral controls of a far more contentious nature,” he said.