政府官員受性賄 Chatswood成亞洲非法妓院中心

　　時間: 2011-04-08 　Snowpear雪梨網4月8日報道

　　上個月，廉政公署（ICAC）踢爆了一個爆炸性的消息，Willoughby Council正處於廉政公署調查中，隨著調查的深入，案件細節逐漸浮出水面，其中一名官員對轄區內的非法妓院持放任態度，因為他接受性賄賂裝聾作啞，導致政府辦公樓周邊600米範圍內，開了17家非法妓院。市政府附近的Victor Rd的一棟大樓里，就有4家非法妓院。再大一點的政府辦公樓區域內，非法妓院至少有20家。

　　事發之地是悉尼的主要商業中心之一的Chatswood，這是Willoughby地方政府轄下的商業中心，這個消息導致人們擔心這裡已經變成悉尼的新興非法妓院聚集地。澳洲媒體和一家專門調查非法妓院的諮詢公司Brothel Busters進行的調查發現， Chatswood有不少非法妓院偽裝成按摩店或者美容中心掛羊頭賣狗肉，在這些非法妓院其實提供色情按摩、裸體按摩，口交以及全套性服務等。

　　

　　其中有一家在Council附近開業的非法妓院名叫Oriana Bath House，現在因為正在被調查，而名聲大噪。Willoughby地方政府的Chatswood主要建築視察員之一的Edward Karkowski承認在Oriana Bath House接受免費性服務，而他也從未向政府報告Oriana Bath House非法提供性服務。

　　昨天記者致電Oriana的時候，發現Oriana仍在繼續提供各種色情服務，包括色情按摩等等。

　　Edward Karkowski被指接受賄賂，吃豪餐，喝80澳元一瓶的好酒，還享受了多名妓女的性服務。與該妓院一位名叫Tina的女孩發生了關係，但表示如果 Tina沒有工作，他可能也會與其他女生發生關係。一段手機錄音顯示Karkowski走出妓院后和朋友說道：「老樣子，還是 Tina。」Karkowski稱這段經歷只是為了發泄壓力。他告訴調查委員會，他並不認為免費性服務是一種賄賂或不曝光非法妓院的回報，而是作為「謝意」才接受。Karkowski現在已經被停職。

　　位於Chatswood最大的合法妓院La Petite Aroma的老闆Lee Cameron表達了對附近大量的非法妓院的憤怒。她說，「我不知道問題居然這麼嚴重。Willoughby地方政府在監管上嚴重失職。我是合法開門做生意的，這些非法妓院不受監管，不交稅也不交勞工保險。」而且她對Oriana Bath House還能繼續經營相當不滿，去年十一月澳洲媒體已經踢爆了性賄賂的事情，但是到現在這家店還開著，她說Oriana Bath House非法提供性服務已經很多年了，而且政府里有些人也知道。

　　

　　政府官員Nick Tobin出言挽回政府的面子，表示關閉非法妓院是一個困難的過程。「關閉妓院可能長達六個月，耗資超過10,000澳元。」政府並沒有無視非法妓院的存在，有在關注Chatswood的和其他地區的非法妓院。 他說，「只要有報告，我們的監察小組會調查全市所有的非法妓院，我們已經開始按照媒體曝光的名單調查。」 而且政府最近已經關閉了一個妓院，並與土地和環境法院合作，還要關閉兩個。

　　政府在2010年10月就試圖關閉Oriana Bath House，目前是土地和環境法院在處理，政府本財年已經花了超過13000澳元來關閉Oriana Bath House。

　　Brothel Busters的老闆Chris Seage表示，在成人論壇上有人建議其他人去Chatswood的非法妓院，因為價格便宜。」一個名為「Flyboy」的傢伙深深為Chatswood 著迷，他說那裡到處是亞洲按摩店，花上20澳元，就能爽上一把。

　　2010年5月，Chris Seage寫信給Willoughby環境事務主任Greg Woodhams，提醒他Chatswood的問題。 Seage先生說：「我們認為Willoughby政府被非法妓院包圍，這是一種瀆職。」 一個星期以後：Woodhams 回信說，「政府理解你的擔心，政府一直在努力，這些問題應該不算瀆職。」 政府表示正在審查對妓院的調查程序，以減少非法妓院的數量。」

　　

　　Seage先生表示，所有非法妓院都確定是亞洲人擁有和經營的，而且非法妓院不僅是稅收和員工福利的問題，還涉及到不安全的性行為，性奴隸和非法移民等等，而且對於員工和顧客來說也是十分危險的。這些非法妓院從亞洲各地運來性工作者，專門為顧客提供不受保護的性服務，稱作是「特殊服務」。 性工作者如果要求用避孕套提供性服務，很可能會失業或者受到強迫。

　　Blind eye on illicit brothels turns Chatswood into sin city

　　The Daily Telegraph 　　April 08, 2011

　　

　　Red alert ... Chris Seage from Brothel Busters outside Oriana Bath House at Chatswood / Pic: Craig Greenhill Source: The Daily Telegraph

　　THE Sydney council at the centre of explosive ICAC revelations last month about the behaviour of one of its officers who turned a blind eye to prohibited sex premises has 17 illegal brothels operating within 600m of its chambers.

　　The revelation will raise concerns that one of Sydney's major business centres, Chatswood - the commercial heart of the Willoughby Council area - has become Sydney's emerging hub for illegal brothels.

　　An investigation commissioned by The Daily Telegraph and conducted by Brothel Busters - a consulting firm involved in catching out illegal brothels - has found many operating in Chatswood masquerading as legitimate therapeutic massage businesses and health and beauty centres.

　　The services offered ranged from "happy ending" massages to "nude body slides" and oral and full service sex.

　　One of the unauthorised premises operating near Willoughby Council is the infamous Chatswood illegal brothel at the centre of the ICAC revelations last month - the Oriana Bath House.

　　Edward Karkowski, one of the council's key building inspectors for Chatswood, admitted at ICAC to receiving free sex at the brothel, while never reporting the Oriana's illegal offering of sexual services. Mr Karkowski's employment has now been terminated.

　　When Oriana was phoned yesterday, it was continuing to offer sex services, including "happy ending" massages.

　　Four other illegal sex premises are operating in one building alone, near the council's Victor St premises.

　　Lee Cameron, the owner of Chatswood's largest legal brothel, La Petite Aroma, has expressed anger at the number of illegal brothels in her area.

　　"I didn't know the problem was that big," she said.

　　"Willoughby Council has been derelict in enforcing regulation. I run a legitimate business but these shonks aren't regulated and don't pay taxes or WorkCover."

　　Ms Cameron was frustrated the Oriana Bath House continued to operate in the wake of the ICAC revelations and a report in The Daily Telegraph last November.

　　"The council has known the Oriana Bath House has been illegally providing sex for years," she said.

　　Council general manager Nick Tobin defended the council's record, saying it was a difficult process to close illegal brothels: "Closing a brothel can take up to six months and cost more than $10,000 per instance."Mr Tobin added the council was not ignoring illicit sex premises. "The presence of illegal brothels in Chatswood and other areas of the city are of concern to Willoughby City Council," he said.

　　"[Our] compliance team investigates all reports of illegal brothels in the city and we will commence our own investigations into the list provided by The Daily Telegraph."

　　Mr Tobin said the council had "recently closed one brothel and is working with the Land and Environment Court to close two more".

　　He said council started trying to close the Oriana Bath House in October 2010: "It is being dealt with by the Land and Environment Court."

　　The council has spent more than $13,000 in the current financial year just trying to close Oriana, he said.

　　BROTHEL Busters boss Chris Seage, a former consultant to the legal brothel industry, said people on adult forums were "advising others to go to Chatswood's illegal brothels because of cheaper prices".

　　A man identified as "Flyboy" was effusive about Chatswood, saying it is "home to more Asian massage places than you can shake a $20 bill (for 'extras') at".

　　Mr Seage has identified at least 20 illegal brothels operating in the wider Willoughby Council area.

　　In May 2010, he wrote to Willoughby Council's environmental services officer Greg Woodhams, alerting him to the problem in Chatswood.

　　Mr Seage said: "It is our view an aura of malfeasance surrounds brothel regulation in Willoughby Council."

　　Mr Woodhams responded to Mr Seage a week later: "Council understands your concerns. Council has not been as diligent in actively pursuing these matters than [sic] it should have been. This does not represent 'malfeasance' as you allege."

　　Mr Tobin said yesterday: "The council is reviewing its processes into brothel investigations to reduce the number of illegal brothels."

　　Mr Seage said all the illegal brothels identified were Asian-owned and operated, adding that Chatswood was now "outstripping even areas like Surry Hills" as a red light district for illegal brothels. "They are nothing more than havens for tax and welfare fraudsters, peddlers of unsafe sex practices, sex slaves and illegal immigrants."