Simon says - Inspections? Who needs them?

Bassman said :

Particularly as the sex industry is renowned for drug abuse and under-age girls.

What are you basing your claim that the sex industry is renowned for under-age girls? Its famous for many widely held misconceptions, but I think under-age girls in Canberra is not one of them.

4 years since the last inspections??? And they weren’t suprise inspections??? I thought that nothing this government does (or fails to do) would suprise me anymore, but I am appalled.

Absolutely appalled.

Particularly as the sex industry is renowned for drug abuse and under-age girls.

I think it’s the Stanhope government’s motto.. something about no need for compliance inspections or law enforcement.

You can hardly blame the office of regulatory services when they’re only funded for 2 or 3 inspectors and the police who are funded to a level of officers way below the average officers per population of any other state or territory. The lack of funding promises shows little looks like it will change anytime soon, even with the “new” government.

“Can the Greens make a difference? Let us wait and see…”

I agree Thumper. This is an excellent chance for the Greens to flex some muscle and force a complacent government to do some useful work.

It might also earn the Greens some brownie points from those of us who are a bit dubious about them.

Given the tragedy of this girl’s death, who wouldn’t support closer regulation of the brothel industry?

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This looks like a dead-easy issue for the Greens to take a stand on, to get an early boost to their ‘responsible government’ cred. Unless there are deeper explanations that haven’t been aired yet, Simon looks like he’s covering up/explaining away inadequate discharge of the ACT Government’s responsibilities. Fumbled issues like this can allow the Greens to be seen to be setting agendas- something the ALP would surely want to avoid.

Even if the person concerned presented fake proof of age ID, if it’s known that such people may be provided with fake ID by interested parties, then the government needs to set the proof of age bar a bit higher. And have some surprise inspections (or are they too worried about encountering a visiting politician or two?). If the Greens take Simon to the cleaners on this one, he’s a dope for handing them the opportunity.

Simon, do the right thing. That is all.

This comes under the Office of Regulatory Services.
They seem to have a few newly marked vehicles driving around town.
They also “regulate” the security industry, apparently.
I have held a Security Master Licence for 5 years now, since it’s inception.
I have never heard of any “regulating” in the industry. About 1/3 of the industry are operating unlicenced.
Every time I enquire of the Dept. as to what they are doing to enforce the licencing legislation, I’m told the compliance officers are too busy chasing underage drinking.
Funnily enough, talking to the Liquor Licence Holders, they can’t get rid of inspectors.
They call a couple of times a week!
Apparently the few busy compliance officers cover all areas within the Dept.
I have had the Director of Fair Trading lie to my face regarding their control of the security industry, so their lack of control in other areas doesn’t suprise me one bit.

Or else someone is being bribed?

Seems very much like “don’t tell me, don’t show me, I just don’t want to look under that rock” by Simon.

Seekay – wonder if thats because only in Canberra are they are significant enough market share that they can’t afford to take a principled stand on it.

Pardon me for repeating my own comment from another thread, but it warrants the eye of the Greens in the context of this new post …

All the relevant ACT Government authorities have been made fully aware over the years of an ‘intellectually mild’ sex worker in the Bruce side of Belconnen who has openly run an illegal, unregistered brothel out of her government flat since 2002. The ACT Government is fully aware that she hires one or two other girls at various times, but is also unregistered as a solo operator. She operates both at her flat and visits clients. The proceeds go into pokie machines rather than on heroin. She is not addicted (other than a severe addiction to gambling) but keeps her girls on drugs. She is on the full disability pension, due to her ‘intellectual impairment’ (which hasn’t prevented her excellent small business turnover!), and she is charged the minimum ACT Government rent on her flat, despite a consistent, regular income of at least $4000 a week, that the authorities know about. She takes no OHS precautions and is a risk to clients, herself and her ’employees’. She has been reported to the minister, ACT Housing, the community advocate, ACT Police and Centrelink several times since 2003. She is still advertising in the Times every week under the same pseudonym and mobile number. There has been no official investigation into her, no attempt to regulate her, no assistance or health instruction provided – despite lessons that should have been learned from the HIV male prostitute last year.

One interesting thing… The other Fairfax broadsheets, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age, don’t carry brothel and escort ads. The Canberra Times does.

having a poke around the sex industry

Hope they are wearing protection.