Qld: Mayor sees red over Townsville brothel

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2000
Qld: Mayor sees red over Townsville brothel

BRISBANE, Dec 12 AAP - A proposed brothel named "Giddyup Garbutt" has drawn the ire
of Townsville Mayor Tony Mooney.

He says new Queensland prostitution laws have taken away the right of veto from local councils.

The five bedroom "Giddyup" was registered as a licensed brothel in an empty warehouse
in the Townsville industrial estate of Garbutt on August 10 by Adrian McFie.

Ms Fie has yet to be vetted by police and authorities, nor has the brothel been approved
by the Prostitution Licensing Authority or by the Townsville City Council, The Courier-Mail
newspaper reported.

But Mr Mooney said the council, which was due to hold its last meeting of the year
tonight, will have no choice but to approve the brothel if it meets the state government's
new criteria for such a sex business.

"My major concern is that we are in a planning straightjacket when it comes to looking
at this particular application," Mr Mooney told ABC radio today.

"Effectively, the application did not even have to come before our council meeting,
did not even have to go before a council committee for it to be rubber stamped and I'm
unhappy about that," he said.

"I'm unhappy about the right of veto being taken away from local communities like Townsville
in this sort of application."

Townsville sex industry spokesman Colin Edwards said the issue was one of health and
safety and the Townsville City Council had the opportunity to be a leader on the issue
of legalised brothels.

"They have an opportunity to lead by example here," Mr Edwards told ABC radio.

"The location sounds very good (because) Garbutt is an area that should be considered," he said.

Townsville had a large population of people in the armed forces and the city should
be "prepared" for that, Mr Edward said.

AAP rad/cjh

KEYWORD: GIDDYUP

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.