HUMAN TRAFFICKING WORKING GROUP
Dr Andreas Schloenhardt (Coordinator)
The University of Queensland
TC Beirne School of Law
www.law.uq.edu.au/humantrafficking
NEWS REPORT
Headline
Visa agents involved in sex trade: Rackets operate
in city apartments
Reported in
The Age
Date of publication
March 31, 2011.
Place of publication
Melbourne
Author
Nick McKenzie and Maris Beck
Page
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Copyright
© 2011 Copyright John Fairfax Holdings Limited
The University of Queensland TC Beirne School of Law
Human Trafficking Working Group
Migration agents registered by the federal government are helping to run illegal prostitution
rackets across Melbourne.
Up to six migration agents have worked with the mostly Asian syndicates running prostitution
rackets in Melbourne and Sydney.
One of the agents involved in the sex industry in Melbourne helps to find Asian women,
including those on student visas, to work as prostitutes in four different CBD apartments.
Migration agents are registered by the federal government and have powers to help people get
visas and deal with the Immigration Department. They are meant to be governed by a strict
code of conduct.
A Melbourne resident aware of the rogue agents made a complaint at a city police station in
November last year.
"The constable I complained to seemed to be ignorant of the laws around prostitution and
ultimately did nothing about it," the complainant said.
An investigation by The Age has also discovered that:
•
Under-age women have been working in illegal brothels in Melbourne's inner east.
•
The Australian Federal Police is investigating people linked to two state-licensed
brothels as part of a human trafficking inquiry that has already led to the charging of a
woman for allegedly forcing Chinese students to work as prostitutes.
•
A senior state government minister is planning to introduce new laws to force police to
take more action against illegal brothels.
The two licensed brothels linked to a human trafficking and sexual slavery inquiry are not the
only government-registered and approved brothels with ties to organised crime.
Earlier this month, The Age reported that at least two other licensed brothels were closely tied
to Xue Di Yan, a Mulgrave woman who runs a network of illegal brothels.
Ms Yan is the subject of an ongoing Victoria Police investigation into claims that she bribed a
City of Yarra official who was responsible for shutting down illegal brothels and who has since
resigned.
The ongoing probe by Richmond detectives into Ms Yan uncovered two Chinese crime
syndicates running dozens of illegal brothels. While this inquiry is expected to lead to the
charging of some of Ms Yan's associates with bribery, Ms Yan continues to help run illegal
brothels in Malvern, Thornbury and Preston.
In a separate development, The Age has learnt details of a number of under-age girls who
were working in illegal brothels last year, including a 17-year-old who worked at a premises in
Richmond. The girl is no longer working but the brothel remains open.
Meanwhile, state Consumer Affairs minister Michael O'Brien has pledged to pass laws
requiring police to take more action against illegal brothels. His pledge puts more pressure on
Chief Commissioner Simon Overland to improve his force's decentralised and often
inconsistent or ineffective response to the illegal sex trade.
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The University of Queensland TC Beirne School of Law
Human Trafficking Working Group
He told The Age that as well as forcing police to do more to fight the illegal sex trade, the
government would introduce new laws to seize the assets of anyone profiting from prostitution
rackets.
"People who may think that they are only slightly involved with illegal brothels [will] find
themselves in the gun for proceeds of crime legislation if they are convicted."
Under the existing system, the regulation of the legal and illegal sex industry is handled by
local councils, state police, Consumer Affairs and the Department of Justice. Federal agencies
are responsible for investigating human trafficking, tax or immigration offences.
The Baillieu government's promised reforms have been welcomed by Victoria's Planning
Enforcement Officers Association, which represent local council officials who lead efforts to
shut down illegal brothels.
Association president Rhett English said council officials had been threatened at home when
trying to shut down illegal brothels by using planning laws.
A Victoria Police spokesman said the force was "actively looking at illegal brothels particularly
in relation to links with organised crime and human trafficking."
"We will always act on reports of under-age workers or other illegal activities [this has included
targeting street prostitution in St Kilda recently].
"We have had very preliminary discussions with the government to date and look forward to
having further discussions."
An electronic copy of this document is available at www.law.uq.edu.au/humantrafficking.
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