Brothels will be legal in WA in a matter of months after landmark prostitution legislation was passed last night, despite political and community opposition to the State Government’s controversial reforms.

The Upper House passed the Prostitution Amendment Bill by 14 votes to 13, with ousted Labor MP turned Independent Shelley Archer proving to be the difference in the close count.

Ms Archer backflipped on her stance in recent weeks after brokering a deal with the Government to fund sex and drug education programs in the State’s North-West, which virtually guaranteed the Bill’s passage.

Opposition MPs and anti-prostitution campaigners declared yesterday was a dark day for WA which would lead to tragic consequences and the exploitation of women.

One of the most controversial aspects of the legislation is allowing brothels with up to two sex workers to operate in residential streets without being licensed.

Ms Archer said she had no regrets about her crucial vote and had firm commitments from Child Protection and Communities Minister Sue Ellery that the Government would fund the programs. But yesterday the Government indicated it had not yet made any funding commitments to Ms Archer’s requests.

“My issue is that this legislation is about men behaving badly … but in two years time there will be a review and I think at that time you need to look at the legislation to see how it can be improved,” Ms Archer said. “Even though I don’t agree with prostitution these women are workers and need to be treated like every other worker.”

Langtrees brothels owner Beverly Clarke said while she supported industry regulation, she was angry MPs had ignored her concerns at legalising residential brothels. She said the legislation would do nothing to protect street sex workers or those working in unlicensed brothels.

Ms Clarke said the laws would fuel the explosion of suburban “quasibrothels”, expose children to sex work in the home, put women and children at risk of violence, increase the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and see more migrant women working illegally and being held against their will as “sex slaves”.

“How are they going to enforce these laws?” she said. “There’s a lot more work to do. I don’t think they’ve consulted enough with the industry.”

Ms Clarke was concerned the laws would not result in workers having access to workers compensation insurance because many companies deemed the industry uninsurable.

Shadow police minister and vocal critic of the Bill, Rob Johnson, accused the Government of taking an easy fix. “It’s a very dark day for WA … This will open up brothels in so many residential areas and the quality of life for people living in those areas will be diminished,” he said.

Australian Christian Lobby WA spokeswoman Michelle Pease said the group would continue to campaign against the legalisation of prostitution in the hope WA’s next government would overturn it.

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