Government to instead hold a broader review into the sex industry in development welcomed by sex worker advocates

This article is more than 11 months old

This article is more than 11 months old

The Queensland government has withdrawn draft laws to give police expanded powers to enter and covertly film at private premises used for sex work, and will instead hold a broader legal review into the industry.

Prostitution laws in Queensland are complex and problematic. Private sex workers say the current rules impose moralistic advertising standards and prohibit working together, making them choose between working safely and working legally.

The state has a specialist police unit that uses entrapment-style tactics to pressure sex workers into offering blacklisted services.

Groups representing workers had expressed their concern at proposals, tabled in the Queensland parliament, that appeared to expand current prostitution laws for private brothels to all premises used for sex work.

The changes would have given the police and the Prostitution Licensing Authority additional entry, search, covert filming and seizure powers at private premises.

Sex workers in Queensland must choose: be safe or be legal Read more

Inquiry hearings into the proposed laws began this week. But late on Monday the government pulled the relevant aspects from broader proposed legislation, and will instead ask the Queensland Law Reform Commission to develop “an appropriate regulatory framework” for the sex industry.

The development has been welcomed by groups who are campaigning for the decriminalisation of sex work, but they have stressed the process now needs to be enacted with a sense of urgency.

Janelle Fawkes from DecrimQld said: “The need for reform is about safety and it can’t be delayed. We welcome the announcement but it’s important this is sent to the law reform commission as a priority.”

Queensland’s sex work laws were a legacy of the Fitzgerald inquiry, whose findings were that police crime and graft were linked to illegal prostitution. The laws created small licensed brothels that only service a fraction of the state, and a private sex work industry where regulation is handled by police.

The result has been to create an environment where private workers are unable to practice many basic safety strategies, like sending a message to another sex worker to confirm they had arrived at a booking, or employ a receptionist.