Sydney's brothels struggle to satisfy APEC demand

Sydney have had to import prostitutes from other states to get over a spike in demand caused by security agents and delegates attending the APEC summit, an industry spokesman said yesterday.

The summit of leaders from 21 countries had triggered a 300 percent spike in the brothel business, prompting madams to send out for reinforcements to cope with the legion of clients.

"Business has been booming; it's been going great-guns," said Chris Seage of the Adult Business Association, which represents the world's oldest trade in New South Wales, where brothels are legal provided they are licensed.

"I have heard that a few of the brothels have recruited interstate, while many others are calling in girls who don't normally work at the weekend to cope with the extra demand," he said.

Houses ill repute in areas of Sydney close to the hotels and venues of the summit have seen a 300 percent increase in business, thanks to a rush of clients and good marketing, Seage said.

In honor of the APEC forum meeting, one well-known bordello offered clients "the Presidential Platter" with a wide range of pleasures or a "United Nations" double with women from a variety of countries.

The growth in business was spurred by security officers detailed to protect ministers and heads of government who have been at the meeting, not the powerful world leaders themselves, Seage said.

"The clients have been secret service agents, trade envoys and economic attaches. They get in there and tell the girls who they are," the former tax office auditor said.

"The girls are very discreet, but no-one has reported to me that a name has gone there -- I mean can you imagine if you said that Putin had gone to a brothel? Its business would go through the roof," he said.

APEC's include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the US and Vietnam.