Illegal sexual services offered across street from regulator

A MELBOURNE Leader reporter has been offered illegal sexual services at a massage parlour directly opposite the state prostitution watchdog’s CBD headquarters.

Working undercover and using a listening device, a Leader reporter last week recorded a prostitute offering “a hand job” for $50 on top of the $70 already paid for a 45-minute massage.

Another man, a Melbourne brothel owner who asked only to be named as Jack, signed a statutory declaration claiming he regularly paid for sexual services at Paramount Health and Sauna Centre.

He asked that his real name not be used for fear of reprisals from the state’s prostitution regulator, Consumer Affairs Victoria, which has failed to stamp out illegal activities at the Bourke St centre despite being aware of allegations about the centre since September 2007.

CAV last week released a statement saying it had investigated the premises “on a number of occasions” but had uncovered no evidence of sexual services.

But Paramount Health and Sauna Centre part-owner Irene Ong said the business had sacked two workers in the past year who were suspected of offering sexual services.

“What happened was, when I opened the door to the room, she (a masseuse had) no clothes on and I sack her on the spot,” Ms Ong said.

She said people regularly came in off the street and asked for “extras”.

“I just say sorry, wrong place,” Ms Ong said.

Staff areas displayed signs warning workers that it was against the law to offer sexual services, Ms Ong said.

In a statutory declaration, Jack said he had visited the centre at least 15 times in the past three years, paying for services ranging from oral sex to intercourse.

He recorded evidence of the transactions on several occasions, including last week when he paid $150 for unprotected oral sex.

“I’m not saying everyone who works there dishes out happy endings - some of them don’t - but I sent a group of seven friends in there a couple of weeks ago and none of them had any complaints,” and all had received sexual services, he said.

A building housing CAV’s head office, 121 Exhibition St, is directly across the road from the first floor massage parlour at 108 Bourke St.

The CAV building also houses the offices of six Brumby Government ministers, including Police Minister Bob Cameron, Finance Minister Tim Holding, Transport Minister Lynne Kosky and Industry Minister Martin Pakula.

CAV, police and the State Government were first presented recordings and statutory declarations detailing allegations of sexual activities at the centre in September 2007.

A year later, Consumer Affairs Minister Tony Robinson announced a blitz on the 400 illegal brothels suspected by the Australian Adult Entertainment Industry to be operating in Melbourne.

At the time Mr Robinson told media that prosecuting illegal brothels had been made easier by new legislation which meant investigators no longer had to have sex with prostitutes.

They only had to prove the services had been offered.

CAV said a Melbourne magistrate granted a search warrant for the premises after two witnesses signed statutory declarations detailing alleged prostitution.

“During this search, the operator and the workers were interviewed by CAV and other law enforcement agencies,” CAV said in a statement.

“Patrons found in the premises were also questioned, but no evidence of any illegal activity was identified.”

The authority urged members of the public to dob in illegal brothels by phoning 1300 764 671.