NT sex workers may soon operate out of private homes in the Territory

SEX workers could soon be able to operate out of private homes in the Territory

Sex workers could soon be able to operate out of private homes in the Territory

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SEX workers could soon be able to operate out of private homes in the Territory.

An application lodged with NT Planning Department by the Attorney-General’s Department would allow for homes to become sex service businesses for two sex workers.

“The application proposes to amend the NT Planning Scheme by introducing new planning rules that would regulate the establishment of sex services businesses,” the application said.

“In order for the Planning Scheme to properly cover the various business models of the industry, a number of minor amendments are necessary to ensure that due regard to the general amenity of their location is given to legitimate businesses.”

The first advertisement of the changes proposes two sex workers would be able to live and work from a home as long as it wasn’t in a restricted development zone.

A sex service premises would also not be able to be next to or nearby a kindergarten, preschool, primary school or secondary school, childcare centre including a home based centre, or places of worship.

Under the current act, only people living at the home would be able to engage in sex work.

There must also be no signs or markings indicating the home is used for sex work.

The proposal would allow commercial sex services to operate without consent in industrial zones and with consent in central business zones and commercial zones, so long as they too weren’t located next to childcare centres, primary or secondary schools or places of worship.

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While individual sex workers and agencies can currently operate out of various premises throughout the NT, they often do so without specific consideration of the Planning Scheme meaning most neighbours of businesses aren’t aware that their neighbour is involved in the sex industry.

The amendments would look to establish a framework that enhances worker health and safety. Legislation is before parliament now which would decriminalise the Territory’s sex industry.