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Brothel comments offend Lower Hutt suburb

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Tue, 17 Jan 2012 5:55p.m.

The demolished Palace Hotel in Auckland is the spot of a future high-rise brothel

The demolished Palace Hotel in Auckland is the spot of a future high-rise brothel

A Waitemata local board member has insulted the Lower Hutt community by suggesting an Auckland brothel belongs in Wainuiomata instead.

The 15-story brothel and entertainment centre is being built in Auckland at the site of the recently demolished Palace Hotel on Victoria St, opposite SkyCity.

Waitemata local board member Christopher Dempsey responded to the resource consent filed for the Auckland building with outrage, and was quoted saying the “whole thing is appalling and smacks of downtown Wainuiomata”.

Lower Hutt Mayor Ray Wallace, who oversees the Wainuiomata suburb, was stunned by the comment.

“It’s outrageous,” Mr Wallace told Fairfax Media.

“He’s clearly never been to Wainuiomata. It is a close-knit, family community.

“There is no sex industry here - people go to Wellington for that. It is insulting to every good and decent community member and the families."

Owners of the high-rise brothel, brothers John and Michael Chow, own several brothels in Wellington.

Mr Dempsey was also quoted as saying he invited the Chow brothers to retire in Wainuiomata because they were “not welcome” in Auckland.

Mayor Wallace said he was disappointed by the comments, calling them “highly disrespectful”.

“He should look in the mirror. Did he not think the comments would come back to the good people of Wainuiomata?”

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Comments

18 Jan 2012 11:24a.m.

Warwick wrote:

I'm all for brothels anywhere -- the more, the better -- but Christopher Dempsey's suggestion that a 15-storey establishment designed for an Auckland environment should be built in Wainuiomata instead is bizarre, stupid and outrageous. He obviously needs to travel outside Auckland.

18 Jan 2012 07:02a.m.

Bernadette Patelesio wrote:

We are fiercely loyal to our lovely Wainuiomata and these ignorant comments will not go down well here. Brothels anywhere are appalling but please don't even put imaginery ones in our picturesque valley. Especially not 15 storey ones. We have strong family values and don't even have a 3 storey building!! Aucklander's really don't get out much!

17 Jan 2012 11:50p.m.

Stephen Berry wrote:

It's only sex. Get over it.

17 Jan 2012 09:06p.m.

Outraged? wrote:

So Mr Wallace is outraged by a comment from an Aucklander concerning Wainuamata... but is happy to then immediately slag off Wellington: “There is no sex industry here - people go to Wellington for that. It is insulting to every good and decent community member and the families." Would it surprise him to learn that there are good and decent community members and families in Wellington also? What a small minded individual.

17 Jan 2012 08:19p.m.

Aja wrote:

No surprises here, arrogent clown, before referring to Wainuiomata how about cleaning up your own smutty backyard or is that beyond your capabilities and its easier to slag off?? Hard to believe he is actually getting paid for this by the Local Board.

17 Jan 2012 07:09p.m.

Sam Scott wrote:

I live in Wainuiomata and abviously Chrisopher Dempsey has never set foot here or he'd know how ludicrous his bizarre statement is! And funnily enough, I was staying at Skycity Sunday & Monday and whilst having lunch at the cafe immediately next to the Chow's site I was approached by a beggar asking for "some coins bro", then twice more in Queen ST. Now THAT'S never happened to me in Wainui! I'm just saying!