School incensed brothel has opened across the road

Photo / Martin Sykes

A west Auckland intermediate school is outraged it can do nothing about a brothel which has opened across the road where parents drop off and pick up their children.

The brothel in Lincoln Rd, Henderson, opened a fortnight ago directly opposite the Henderson Intermediate School and the school's trust board chairman, Ron Crawford, said cars were already bringing clients day and night for sex sessions.

The school has 500 students aged 10 to 12 who used the school's front entrance directly across the road from the new brothel.

Mr Crawford said the board was not notified the brothel was opening and when they protested to Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey, they were told there was little if anything they could do under new legislation allowing brothels to open.

Christian lobby group Family First national director Bob McCoskrie said the opening of the brothel highlighted the flaws in the prostitution law and its failure to protect families.

"Most of us would not want to see brothels established in residential areas or adjacent to preschools or schools'."

"It's time for the Government to amend the law in the interests of families," he said.

"To allow brothels next to a family home or sensitive site such as a school, playground or church is unacceptable. We already have accounts of home brothels where men willing to pay for sex are knocking on nearby homes trying to find the brothel."

Mr Crawford said the school board of trustees was to discuss the brothel tonight and it would not give in without a fight.

Most of New Zealand would think it was completely inappropriate, he said.

"Is that what our legislators wanted to do, put a brothel right beside an intermediate school. I would say the answer is no."

Mr Crawford said the school had little warning it was about to open.

"We found out at the 11th hour. It was a done deal."

Mr Crawford said they did not know who had opened the brothel and all he knew was that it was targeting Chinese clients.

"It is right across the road from 11 and 12-year-old kids. I am very disappointed. It is entirely inappropriate."

He said the children should be in a safe and good learning environment and should be able to travel to and from school without having to look at the brothel outside the school.

- NZPA