Naked massage business in Perth fined over misleading ad

MELBOURNE - An operator of a massage business in Perth has been slapped with the maximum penalty by a court for engaging in misleading advertising.

Colin Burton, of Bikini Girls Massage, has been fined 6000 dollars in the Perth Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to 11 offences under the Fair Trading Act, relating to misleading employment advertisements.

Burton was also fined 100 dollars on August 17 for a further offence under the Business Names Act relating to carrying on a business under an unregistered business name, News.com.au reported.

Officers from the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection told the court that Bikini Girls had placed ads in community newspapers that were liable to mislead potential applicants as to the true nature, terms and conditions of employment.

The ads for a health salon omitted any reference to the requirement for successful applicants to massage naked or mostly naked men and be mostly naked themselves.

The ads also failed to mention that the candidates were effectively to be subcontractors rather than employees and that they were required to rent facilities from the operators.

In sentencing Burton, magistrate Michael Wheeler said the offences were quite serious in nature, the business was dodgy and there would be those in the community who would be glad he was not making a profit.

Burton’s business partner, Bon Levi, has pleaded not guilty to 91 similar charges and his matter was adjourned for a three-day trial starting on September 1. (ANI)