Immigration NZ looking into complaints migrant sex workers operated in former Wellington emergency housing motel
Tuesday, 27 April 2021
Immigration New Zealand is looking into allegations that migrant sex workers were operating out of a central Wellington motel that was also being used for emergency housing.
The allegations add to ongoing concerns about the safety of residents and the public, as well as the suitability of some accommodation providers.
Immigration NZ received three complaints between July 2018 and January 2020 alleging migrant sex workers were operating out of Harbour City Motor Inn on Webb St.
While the agency took steps to assess the complaints, it found insufficient information to give it the power to investigate further, said INZ Deputy Head Stephen Vaughan.
Now, it is looking into new complaints raised with Stuff.
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There is no suggestion the alleged migrant sex workers were emergency housing clients.
A spokeswoman for Harbour City “absolutely refuted” the allegations, stating she’d never received any complaints from guests, nor was she aware of the activity.
“This is an unfair attack on our business,” she said, declining to be named.
Harbour City has been paid $2.5m by the Ministry of Social Development since June 2017, according to official data. Last month it was raided by police, who seized methamphetamine, cannabis and stolen property. Detective Sergeant Charlie Munro said no arrests were made.
The allegations about migrant sex workers are the latest in a string of concerns about the use of motels for emergency housing accommodation, after it was revealed gang members were living alongside vulnerable people and allegations of intimidation, violence, drug dealing and other criminal activities are leaving families living in fear.
Politicians across parliament have echoed concerns about the safety of some motel environments. Green Party co-leader and Associate Housing Minister Marama Davidson described some of them on Tuesday as “inhumane and undignified” and a way for motel owners to make “quick money”.
National's housing spokeswoman, Wellington list MP Nicola Willis, described the current emergency housing model as a “get-rich-quick” scheme for motel owners and would like to see government be more proactive about checking the safety, security and suitability of providers.
Official Information Act documents provided to Willis showed ministers were told last April some motels being used were “creating risks to public safety”.
Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni said she was not aware of alleged issues with migrant sex workers prior to inquiries from Stuff.
“MSD are looking into this issue and are speaking to the owners of the accommodation,” she said.
Under the Prostitution Reform Act 2003, migrants on any kind of temporary visa are not allowed to work in the sex industry. Only New Zealand and Australian citizens and residents over the age of 18 can legally work in the industry.
MSD regional commissioner Gagau Annandale-Stone said emergency housing clients had been moved out of Harbour City three weeks ago. The ministry did not answer questions about why the motel was no longer a provider of emergency accommodation.
“Harbour City Motor Inn ceased supplying emergency accommodation for our clients by mutual agreement with us. We put in place a plan to ensure clients that were accommodated there were relocated,” she said.
Two people – a former resident of the motel and a client who claimed he used the escort services – raised concerns with Stuff about the legality of the services and the welfare of the women involved.
Both said they believed the women were young, Asian and had poor English skills.
The former resident, who declined to be named due to concerns for her safety, said she moved in to the motel towards the end of last year and lived there for six months. While there, she had conversations with men who told her they were visiting escorts.
She became concerned when told about the prices being offered for services.
The woman said she raised concerns with two MSD staff members, but Annandale-Stone said MSD didn’t have any record of complaints being raised.
Vaughan said Immigration NZ did not contact MSD regarding the previous complaints.
An Immigration NZ spokeswoman said the agency regularly notifies other agencies when it receives information that affects its responsibilities, but in this case the complaints didn’t contain any reference to the motel being used for emergency housing.
Annandale-Stone said any illegal activity should be reported to police. “We expect that those who supply accommodation to our clients meet all the relevant regulatory standards imposed by regulatory authorities – including local councils.”
Wellington City Council spokeswoman Victoria Barton-Chapple said the council was unaware of the allegations and that no resource consents had been issued for any brothel in the city.
“The district plan does not regulate commercial sex activities operating in hotels or motels outside the Courtenay Place area,” she said.
A police spokeswoman encouraged anyone who had concerns or information to contact police.
Dame Catherine Healy of the NZ Prostitutes' Collectives said the law in respect to the rights of migrant sex workers was “dumb”.
“You can come to this country and be a migrant worker in any other context except a sex worker. That’s a real problem because it means if there are some migrants here who are sex workers, it's very hard for them to come forward.”
Healy said the situation meant conditions could end up being exploitative.
In 2019, an INZ investigation identified 66 migrant sex workers working unlawfully in brothels across the country. All, except for one, were Chinese nationals. There was no evidence they were being exploited.