Recent reports told of local government councils in Victoria paying their staff to have sex with prostitutes to get convictions. Prostitution has been common in almost all societies and it is unlikely that the actions of a few councils will lead to its elimination.

These councils have demonstrated that they have no moral objection to prostitution by the very act of paying their own staff to participate. They should instead put their efforts into promoting public health messages. The management of prostitution in our society is a public health issue and should be managed by health authorities.

Now the WA Govt has announced moves to legalise prostitution and introduce licensing. But instead of placing the Health Dept in charge, brothel owners join the horses in the Racing, Gaming and Liquor Ministry. This is illogical. Prostitution is recognised by the World Health Organisation as one of the highest risk occupations for the supplier and the consumer. Society should take steps to ensure that it is not promoted and that risks are kept to the lowest possible minimum.

Control by the Health Department would allow regular visits by public health nurses to educate staff and their clients. The police, councils and the gaming and liquor ministry should have no direct role in the management and control of prostitution.

Prostitution is not associated with high rates of STDs and HIV in Australia due to the education programs implemented by the health departments and voluntary organisations. The lowest rates of STDs are associated with voluntary health-promotion programs and the use of public health nurses as educators. Workers and clients should be educated on minimising their risks.

Voluntary organisations should continue to provide assistance for those wishing to leave the industry. The proposed Govt action is better than its previous proposals, but improvement is still needed. In particular, prostitution needs to be treated as a public health problem to minimise risks to all concerned.

Colin Binns Professor of Public Health Curtin University