Minister orders withdrawal of sex workshop from conference program

17/6/03
Education and Training Minister Alan Carpenter has ordered the withdrawal of a workshop about towel-folding in brothels from a Government-funded education conference.
Mr Carpenter was surprised to find a workshop titled 'Whore-i-gami - the Art of Towel Rolling, Folding and Shaping in the Sex Industry' would be presented at this Friday's Adult Community Education (ACE) sector Making Connections Conference 2003.
The Minister said the workshop, organised by sex worker group Phoenix, was completely inappropriate for a community education conference.
"Promotional material for the workshop is flippant, offensive and falls outside community standards," he said.
The State Government has contributed about $40,000 to the conference - a joint initiative between the department, learning institutions and community educators.
"This is a taxpayer-funded conference," Mr Carpenter said.
"I do not want to see events like this tarnished by a workshop which, according to promotional material, introduces participants 'to the work environment of sex workers and the skills sex workers share'."
The Minister, who is scheduled to open the conference, has directed the Department of Education and Training to withdraw the workshop from the program.
The conference, to be held over two days at the University of Western Australia, features guest speakers and more than 25 workshops.
"The conference itself is an excellent opportunity for the Adult Community Education sector to come together for professional development and networking," Mr Carpenter said.
Minister's office: 9213 6800