Brothel near school sparks outrage

An unlicensed brothel situated directly across the street from South Hedland Primary School is still open for business despite being raided by police last month.

Police say they have no authority to close the brothel, which is situated on Weaver Place, as the onus falls on the Town of Port Hedland and the property manager Hedland First National.

It is understood the bordello has been operating for close to three weeks, with one worker deported to China following a search by local police in late September.

A neighbour, who did not want to be identified, said men had knocked on her door on more than one occasion, mistaking her house for the brothel.

"We know what's going on over the fence, we're not stupid," she said.

"People are coming and going at all hours of the night."

Jo Woodward, the madam of Jems brothel in Wedgefield, which is a licensed establishment, received more than 40 phone calls and emails from concerned community members after the Weaver Place brothel opened its doors.

"I've never seen people this angry," she said.

"I had seven grandkids in this town up until last year and if they were going to school next to that I'd be down there ripping people's heads off."

Ms Woodward said having the industry near children was wrong.

"These people don't care that they've set up across the road from a school," she said.

Ms Woodward also contacted police about the newly opened establishment, saying she had heard reports of workers without visas offering unprotected sex.

"It's a really big worry, you don't know where those girls have been, they haven't had any health checks and diseases spread - that's how we end up with problems," she said. South Hedland police Senior Sergeant Mick Hayes said it was up to the Town of Port Hedland to "take the lead".

He said officers were monitoring the situation - but the last time they visited the house, business was still being conducted.

"We don't have any power to shut them down, we can't just go in there and say 'you've all been very naughty, don't do it again', that doesn't happen," he said.

"We've already been back within two days and they were still working, so again we've advised all the people involved.

"The rumour is that they were offering unprotected sex, but we found about 40,000 condoms."

Hedland First National department manager Kathy Stevens confirmed the tenants at the house had been served a termination notice.

"The notice was served on Friday (September 27) and expires in 14 days," she said.

"The tenant deliberately misled (us) in terms of what the premise was to be used for, as soon as that was brought to our attention, we immediately served a termination notice in terms of the lease and they shall be gone." HFN have given the tenants until Friday, October 11 to vacate the premises. Term 4 at South Hedland Primary School is due to resume on Monday, October 14.

Town of Port Hedland chief executive Mal Osborne said a Town officer had inspected the property in conjunction with police on September 26 and determined the current usage was non-compliant with the Port Hedland Town Planning Scheme Number 5.

"Pursuant to the Town's procedure of enforcing compliance, the Town of Port Hedland issued a notice to cease business, advising that the non-compliant business operation be shut down within 30 days," he said.