By Alesha Capone
Two MPs have expressed concern about proposed changes to planning controls that would allow home-based sex workers to operate without a permit.
Western metropolitan MPs Catherine Cumming and Bernie Finn have both spoken about the matter in state Parliament while debating the Sex Work Decriminalisation Bill 2021.
The first stage of reforms under the bill, such as the removal of criminal penalties for sex work, are expected to be introduced in May.
Dr Cumming said she supported the main purposes of the bill, including to reduce discrimination against sex workers.
However, Dr Cumming said she was wary of proposed changes to planning controls that would allow home-based sex workers to operate without a permit.
Dr Cumming said that sex workers operating from a residence should be required to obtain a permit, just like hairdressers, culinary professionals and health practitioners have to.
“Without actually having proper planning controls, a proper planning framework and proper advertising for the neighbours and the local community or local councils to have the ability to say where these premises can and cannot go, the community is going to have no ability to complain about their neighbourhood amenity,” she said.
In addition, Dr Cumming said the bill would remove a landlord’s ability to refuse accommodation to sex workers who wanted to work from home, “meaning any suburban house could be used as a brothel—or any Airbnb”.
Dr Cumming mentioned “a residential home in Williams Landing in my electorate illegally being used as a brothel” during 2021, an issue Star Weekly reported on last year.
Dr Cumming said there were many other residential homes with five to six bedrooms were used as Airbnbs in the west, including in Keilor, Maribyrnong, Williamstown and Werribee.
Mr Finn also spoke about the Williams Landing Airbnb allegedly being used as “an illegal brothel”.
“This obviously has caused some consternation, to say the very least, among the neighbours, many of whom are families, many of them with children,” Mr Finn said.
“I just wonder if this legislation is only going to encourage what we have already seen.
“I do not want to see people having this profession springing up around them in their neighbourhood.”
