(g) A solicitor: Mr Nicholas Prassas.
23 The residents (except for Mr Wechsler) all resided at 5 Tusculum Street, next door to Mistys. The owner of 5 Tusculum Street had an informal agreement with De Cue to allow the principal and staff of De Cue to park their vehicles in the carpark of 5 Tusculum Street. The residents were asked by the owner if they would give evidence about the operation of Mistys. The residents gave evidence that they had not personally been disturbed by or had their amenity interfered with by the operation of Mistys. However, the evidence of these residents did not prove that the incidents about which the witnesses for the Council gave extensive evidence did not occur or that those incidents did not cause disturbance in or interference with the amenity of the neighbourhood.
24 The evidence of the private investigators, Messrs Oakley & Beggs, concerned surveillance they had conducted on six nights, four in July 2006 (14, 15, 21 and 22 July) and two in August 2006 (4 and 5 August). The private investigators' evidence recorded numerous incidents on those 6 nights of illegal parking by clients of Mistys, cars with loud music, noisy exhausts, revving engines and blasting horns driven by clients of Mistys or their associates, loud talking, yelling and occasionally yelling of obscenities by clients entering or leaving or congregating near Mistys, anti-social behaviour by clients of Mistys and their associates including smashing bottles on the road, hitting a road and traffic sign with a stick, urinating on trees in Tusculum Street, on nearby apartment block walls and even on the tyres of the private investigators' car, vomiting in the street, and throwing rubbish onto the footpath and the street. This surveillance evidence, by itself, establishes that the operation of Mistys results in disturbance in and interference with the amenity of the neighbourhood.
25 The evidence of Ms Antic discussed the operation of Mistys. Ms Antic acknowledges that early teething problems were encountered with clients in the first weeks of operation of Mistys at Tusculum Street. However, Ms Antic says that the business has since run in a much quieter way. She says the type of behaviour the subject of complaints by the residents is antithetical to allowing the business to be maintained and run profitably and well. Ms Antic gave evidence of measures she has taken to address the complaints. This included establishing a telephone "hotline" for complaints and notification in April 2006 to the residents by a flyer of the hotline. Ms Antic gave evidence of the preparation and revision of plans of management for Mistys and the implementation of the plans. Ms Antic gave evidence of De Cue's considerable expenditure in upgrading the premises at Tusculum Street and in meeting the conditions of the deferred commencement consent. Ms Antic said that any lack of success in curtailing the incidents and complaints has not been for lack of trying on her part.
26 Ms Antic said the whole of the business of Mistys runs on regular clients and she would know by name 95% of them. The clients have travelled with the business from the Bondi premises to Tusculum Street. There is difference between the clients during the day (who are older) and the night (who are younger). The majority of the clients drive to the premises. Unlike at Bondi where there was ample parking, there is a scarcity of parking in Tusculum Street. She had observed, on a number of occasions, that clients have "hotted-up" cars. Ms Antic said that clients often arrive and leave in groups, 2, 3 or 4 at a time. Multiple client use of working rooms is not uncommon.
27 Ms Antic said there was a difference between the previous brothel operated at Tusculum Street, which was a full service brothel, and Mistys which is a massage and masturbation service. Ms Antic said this results in different clientele.
28 The brothel's receptionist and duty manager, Ms Chick, also gave evidence of the operation of Mistys. Ms Chick said she had not heard or witnessed at any time commotion outside the premises. She had heard sounds from hotted up cars travelling up and down the street. She had not witnessed groups loitering outside the premises. She had never received any telephone complaints from residents.
29 The town planner, Mr Winnacott, gave evidence of the town planning history of the site. A brothel had apparently operated on the premises at 3 Tusculum Street illegally for 20 years prior to 1997. On 25 June 1997, the former South Sydney City Council granted development consent to use the premises as a brothel subject to conditions. The premises operated pursuant to the consent as a brothel.
30 In August 2005, De Cue entered a lease of the premises, commencing operation on October 2005. On 1 November 2005, De Cue lodged a development application for alterations and additions to the brothel, including to increase the number of bedrooms from 7 to 10. The use of the premises for the purposes of brothel was not sought as this use had already been approved by the 1997 consent.
31 On 20 March 2006, the Council granted deferred commencement consent. The applicant, being dissatisfied with a number of the conditions, appealed to this Court. The disputed conditions, including restricting the number of bedrooms to 7, the requirement for a 5 year trial period and the restrictions on advertising. As part of the appeal, De Cue had prepared for it by Ms Bates a new plan of management for the operation of the brothel.
32 The Court determined the appeal on 23 June 2006, dismissing De Cue's appeal and granted deferred commencement consent subject to conditions as the Council had done: see Suzelle Antic v City of Sydney Council [2006] NSWLEC 276 (23 June 2006).
33 Mr Winnacott visited the premises and surrounding area on two occasions, once on a Saturday night (29 April 2006) and the other during the day on a Monday (1 May 2006). Mr Winnacott did not observe any of the incidents that had been raised in the complaints.
34 Mr Winnacott considered it appropriate that procedures be put in place and facilities provided to ensure that a high level of amenity, safety, security and hygiene is available for both staff and clients of the business and that disruption to the amenity of the surrounding area does not occur. Mr Winnacott noted that the applicant had engaged Ms Bates to prepare a new plan of management for the operation of the brothel. Mr Winnacott reviewed Ms Bates' plan. Mr Winnacott stated he was satisfied that De Cue is taking reasonable steps to upgrade the premises and improve the operation of the business. Mr Winnacott considered "it is reasonable to assume that these steps will have the effect of minimising external impacts on the surrounding neighbourhood". He stated further: "I consider that if appropriately implemented this plan of management will provide an operational framework to facilitate a safe and hygienic environment for staff and clients within the premises and to minimise disturbance to the surrounding area. No plan of management can ensure that no anti-social behaviour will occur. However, I consider that the proposed plan of management, with the amendments required to be made by conditions of development consent, together with other conditions of consent will provide a satisfactory basis for the ongoing operation of the brothel". The plan of management prepared by Ms Bates together with the conditions of both the 1997 consent and the 2006 deferred commencement consent, would provide in his opinion a satisfactory basis for the ongoing operation of the brothel.
35 Mr Winnacott also analysed the surveillance reports of the two private investigators engaged by De Cue. The results of Mr Winnacott's analysis were that 49.8% of the anti-social incidents observed by the private investigators in the area, including Tusculum Street, related to Mistys. By type of anti-social incident, 91% of illegal parking, 49% of loud voices, 53% of urinating and 67% of vomiting, related to the operation of Mistys.
36 Mr Winnacott also considered the s 17(5) considerations.
37 The occupational health and safety planner, Ms Bates, gave evidence of her preparation of a plan of management for Mistys. Ms Bates drafted the plan of management used in the appeal before the Court. Ms Bates stated the plan of management was implemented after its preparation. She stated she had attended Mistys after the preparation and implementation of the plan of management. In May 2006, she conducted a training workshop for staff at Mistys.
38 Ms Bates considered that Mistys is run as reasonably as could be expected for any reasonable operator of a brothel. She considered the brothel has regard to the sensitivity of the neighbourhood, the neighbours, client and sex workers' security, safe sex practices, hygiene and client behaviour. She was of the opinion Mistys could not be run in a more efficient and reasonable way.
39 The social planner, Dr Berg, gave evidence of risks associated with the sex industry, the plan of management prepared by Ms Bates, Dr Berg's observations of the operation of the brothel, including her brief discussions with sex workers, and her summary of the security incidents book maintained by the security guard on duty at the brothel. Dr Berg stated that the plan of management provides protection for sex workers, their clients and the neighbours of the business.
40 Dr Berg expressed her opinion of the likely consequences of the closure of Mistys. These included: