Police drop `farcical' brothel case S WA Country Edition

THE Gallop Government is facing renewed pressure to scrap the state's antiquated prostitution laws after police yesterday dropped charges against high profile madam Mary-Anne Kenworthy. Police Commissioner Barry Matthews said there was no point forcing the owner of the Langtrees brothels in Per...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inWeekend Australian
Main Author Kathryn Shine, Simone Pitsis
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Canberra, A.C.T News Limited 24.01.2004
Subjects
Kenworthy, Mary-Anne
Roberts, Michelle
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Summary:THE Gallop Government is facing renewed pressure to scrap the state's antiquated prostitution laws after police yesterday dropped charges against high profile madam Mary-Anne Kenworthy. Police Commissioner Barry Matthews said there was no point forcing the owner of the Langtrees brothels in Perth and Kalgoorlie to face a four-day trial when the likely penalty would be a "hopelessly inadequate" $100 or $200 fine. Police Minister Michelle Roberts tried to introduce new laws last year in a the Prostitution Control Bill but was forced to abandon the draft legislation when it failed to win support from the Greens and the Liberal Party. Sex workers and brothel owners including Ms Kenworthy also rejected the draft laws, arguing the requirements for brothels to be licensed and a board to control prostitutes would force workers underground.