THE State Government has bowed to continuing pressure to overhaul WA's prostitution laws.

Attorney General Jim McGinty said a working group would study current interstate and New Zealand prostitution legislation in a bid to decriminalise the sex industry in WA.

Mr McGinty said current laws were inadequate and frustrating for police.

"Police are frustrated by the current laws, so in the main the laws are simply not enforced,’’ he said.

"Brothels in WA have been operating without any proper checks and balances for too long now, so it is time we looked at laws to properly deal with the sex industry.

"We want to look at the possibility of decriminalising brothels while ensuring the practice of streetwalking remains illegal.

"The Police Royal Commission report also found that the lack of precise prostitution legislation created a high risk for police corruption, and although the Commission found no evidence of corruption, we need to remove that temptation."

Mr McGinty said new legislation would aim to protect the health and safety of sex workers and protect children from being involved in prostitution.

He said the government was particularly interested in the New Zealand approach to prostitution reform.

He said New Zealand relied on a simple and straightforward certification system for brothel operators which enabled police to ensure they were complying.

"In New Zealand, there are health and safety requirements for the operators of brothels, sex workers and clients who must all adopt and promote safer sex practices," Mr McGinty said.

Under the New Zealand model, local government was also responsible for regulating the location of brothels through bylaws.

The working group comprises Parliamentary Secretary to the Health Minister, Sue Ellery, Labor MLA John Hyde, Greens MLC Giz Watson, Health Department sexual health program director Lisa Bastion, and a WA Police representative.

CONFUSING: Brothel owner Mary Anne Kenworthy has been an outspoken critic of WA's confusing laws governing the sex industry.

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