HIV-positive prostitute holidayed in NZ

[Guest guest]

wow...what a witch hunt. This seems so extreme and wrong to me.

Any Kiwis here?

HIV-positive prostitute holidayed in NZ

January 31, 2008 12:42pm

Article from: AAP

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NEW Zealand health authorities are warning people about an HIV-positive Australian prostitute after it was revealed he went on holiday there over Christmas.

, 41, of Canberra, is facing charges of providing a commercial sexual service while knowing he was infected with a sexually transmitted disease and failing to register as a sex worker.

He appeared in ACT Magistrates Court on January 18 - the first time it came to public attention even though the ACT Government had been warned about Mr a month before by West Australian officials.

"At that point in time the only information we had - on the 19th of December - was a query about whether this man may be in the ACT or may not and whether or not he may be engaging in an activity such as work as a sex worker,'' ACT Health Minister Katy Gallagher said on ABC radio today.

Ms Gallagher said local government and health officials acted immediately, informing police and scrutinising advertisements in the local media.

"Through that detailed investigation it became clear that the man was not in the ACT and we remained in contact with the jurisdiction where he was found to be ... it was in New Zealand,'' she said.

Health officials in New Zealand say they have no idea where Mr spent his holiday after arriving in Auckland on December 23 and leaving on December 30.

The Ministry of Health said it had sought further information from Australian authorities about Mr 's activities in New Zealand.

"We do not know if he had sex with anyone in New Zealand or whether he may have had sex in Australia with New Zealanders who have travelled there,'' said ministry adviser Alison .

"Nor do we know if he practised unsafe sex in these situations, but given the fact he is being prosecuted in Australia it is wise to pass on the warning here.''

When Mr returned to the ACT on January 4 he was arrested and given a public health order telling him not to work as a prostitute.

The public was not informed of his arrest or the order until he appeared in court two weeks later.

ACT health authorities yesterday started calling about 250 people who had been in contact with Mr and may have been infected with HIV.

Mr is due back in court on February 7.

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