Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (13:10): My question was for the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, but I am going to redirect it now, as there is not one, to the Minister for Health. It comes from several brothel operators in my electorate of Northern Metro.
Brothels are closed. They have been closed during the pandemic, and that is rightly so. But as other sectors are given guidelines for opening, and despite repeated attempts for clarification from both consumer affairs and the health department, guidelines for brothels remain unclear.
In what seems to be an utterly bizarre situation, the lockdown rules now say that whilst you can have an escort visit you at your hotel room you cannot visit a regulated brothel to see the same sex worker. Brothels have high health and safety standards. It is probably the safest way, besides with your own partner, that you could have sex at the moment.
My question is: will the minister provide clear and unambiguous guidelines for the reopening of brothels so that they can plan for their future?
