Outrage as brothels get nod to sell alcohol

There are serious concerns sweeping new laws that will allow booze to be introduced to brothels will create a myriad of issues for sex workers.

New laws will allow workers and brothels to sell alcohol. Picture: iStock

NEW laws to decriminalise the sex work industry will allow workers and brothels to sell alcohol in a move that has sparked a backlash among community groups.

Safety advocates are calling for a rethink after learning that the changes enable the venues to sell takeaway alcohol by removing the offence of consuming liquor in a brothel.

Instead, they will able to apply for a licence and will not have any special requirements in line with most other businesses.

It comes after a Victorian government review of the sex industry in 2007 advised against selling alcohol in brothels over concerns of unnecessary safety issues.

Justice Party MP Stuart Grimley, a former Victoria Police officer, said he had investigated cases of assault reported by sex workers and they deserved a safe workplace.

“Currently there are 88 licensed brothels and around 500 unlicensed brothels in the state,” he said.

“The passage of this bill will make all of these brothels legal and allow each brothel to apply for a liquor license.

“Our party holds great concern for the health and safety of sex workers by approving bars within brothels.”

Brothels would be able to apply for liquor licences similar to other venues under new laws Picture: Supplied

Mr Grimley said it was also unrealistic that liquor compliance officers would be able to regularly check these venues along with 24,000 other licences across the state.

“Victoria Police have also expressed their concern about the supply of liquor in brothels,” he said.

The new laws have been welcomed for regulating sex work in line with other Victorian businesses, but have prompted concerns over industry-specific issues such as organised crime and human trafficking.

“The bill before parliament recognises that sex on premises businesses should be regulated like other businesses, just as sex workers should have the same protections and recognition as any other worker,” a state government spokeswoman said.

Uniting Church spokesman Mark Zirnsak said Victoria already had enough businesses that could sell alcohol and did not need more.

“The evidence is the more businesses selling alcohol in an area the greater the alcohol related harm in that area, as businesses need to aggressively market the alcohol to increase consumption and make profit,” he said.

“Allowing brothels and individual sex workers to have liquor licences adds additional risks of harm.

“The experience in Australia and overseas is that mixing alcohol sales with sex work increases the risks to the safety, health and wellbeing of the workers and their clients.”

Mr Zirnsak said there were also concerns brothel owners would pressure employees to assist in “upselling” alcohol to clients.