Laws which will legalise brothels have been drafted and are expected to be introduced in State Parliament within a month, bringing to an end decades of debate and numerous failed attempts to regulate the industry.

The laws will certify brothel owners through the Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor and give local councils the power to control the industry through planning regulations.

Attorney-General Jim McGinty said successive governments had been grappling with the vexing issue for years, leaving police in the untenable position of turing a blind eye to brothels, despite them being illegal under archaic laws which had become irrelevant.

The laws will not cover issues relating to the proliferation of online prostitution and will exempt small owner-operated suburban brothels from registration. They will not cover prostitution, which is already legal.

Shadow Racing, Gaming and Liquor minister John McGrath said the Liberal Party would not adopt a position on the laws until it had seen the legislation.

Organised Crime Det-Supt Kim Porter welcomed the laws, saying "Police have been in a difficult position for quite some time trying to deal with issues that have not been particularly clear in terms of legislation".