A Tiger by the tail !

Wollongong councillors reacted predictably when faced with a development application to establish a brothel in Auburn street.   It posed a " moral dilemma ", and so they invoked the use of the Independent Hearing and Assessment panel to have their say on the matter.

Issues such as brothels put individual councillors in an awkward position and that old expression of " having a Tiger by the tail " comes to mind.

If they don't squawk long and loud some sections of the community will accuse them of being " soft " on moral issues, and yet this application had met all the lawful requirements and had been approved by the various council departments which vet each development application.

Councillors certainly have the right to go against the process and reject a DA, but that simply takes the matter to the Land and Environment court, and as the DA met all the necessary guidelines - and broke no laws - it would certainly get the nod from that court - and saddle Wollongong council with a hefty swag of legal fees.

So - under the terms of the Independent Hearing and Assessment panel's review each individual could put on record their personal objections to brothels, but at the same time reluctantly agree to it proceeding because while they are " morally against the proposal they would not override the city's planning process to stop it. "

It seems that the average citizen is " betwixt and between " when it comes to the chasm between what the law allows and what the voice of the churches dictate, and for some people there is a tendency to ignore the law and place the blame squarely on the head of whoever has the decision making job.   Such is the burden placed on those who seek to serve on councils.

We have come a long way since the " oldest profession " was subjected to strict moral laws - and flourished discreetly in every age of civilization since the building of the pyramids.  Prostitution is no longer a crime, and it is far better to have it discreetly housed than openly displayed on the streets.

This new brothel is simply one of many existing establishments in Wollongong, and citizens should be rather proud that our sexual services are both mature and well run - and not attracting newspaper headlines.

Councillors now having recorded their obligatory objection - the sex industry can return to " business as usual ! "