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Operation Inglenook
In late 2022 the Australian Government created Operation Inglenook to identify “exploitation of Australia’s temporary visa program” and “victims of trafficking or modern slavery practices within the sex industry”.
Led by the Australian Border Force, Inglenook oversaw hundreds of visa cancellations at the border, detention, deportation, and raids on workplaces of Asian migrant sex workers. Such activities are a dangerous, expensive and unnecessary abuse of power by the Commonwealth government.
Despite formally ending on 31 December 2024, Asian migrant sex workers continue to be impacted by ongoing raids with 23 documented in 2025 (19 in Naarm/Metro Melbourne, 4 in the Northern Territory).
At the conclusion of Operation Inglenook (14 November 2022 – 31 December 2024):
- 208 people were refused immigration clearance.
- 180 ‘field’ activities (i.e. brothel raids) including warrant execution were conducted.
- The raids resulted in 19 persons being detained, of which:
- 15 of these were ‘removed’ from Australia
- 11 had their visa cancelled
- Half were under 30 years of age, half were Indonesian nationals, six were Chinese, and more than half were women.
At 21 months of operation (14 November 2022 – 18 August 2024):
- 165 people were been refused immigration clearance.
- 154 were women, 78 were aged 29 or younger, 87 were from Japan, 18 from China, 16 from Taiwan, 12 from Thailand, 7 from Indonesia and 6 from South Korea.
At one year of operation (14 November 2022 – November 2023):
- 98 people were detained, with 92 of them being refused immigration clearance on arrival to Australia and had their visas cancelled, and 91 were deported.
- Of the 98 people detained, 87 were female, 58 were aged between 20 to 29, and 52 were from or citizens of Japan.
- Among the 93 visa cancellations, 61 were Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), 21 were a Visitor Visa (across two types), and 6 were Student Visas
- Six people were detained as a result of a Border Force brothel raids within Australia, but less than five had their visas cancelled.
- Less than five people had been referred to Australia’s Support for Trafficked People Program by Operation Inglenook.
Covert and non-consensually obtained images of Asian migrant sex workers are used by Nine Entertainment-owned media outlets in multiple 'news' stories conflating migrant sex work with exploitation and trafficking.
Former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police Christine Nixon appointed to lead a rapid review into the exploitation of Australia’s visa system.
Revealed: Trafficked released on Stan (owned by Nine Entertainment). Includes a section of an interview with Jules Kim, CEO of Scarlet Alliance (at the time of filming in 2022). Scarlet Alliance, VIxen and Respect Inc QLD release a response on the same day.
The Rapid Review into the Exploitation of Australia's Visa System (the Nixon review), is presented to the Australian Government (but not publicly released), listing 34 recommendations, including two that would ban temporary migrant sex workers.
Scarlet Alliance begins contacting members of parliament and senators to gain more information about the Nixon Review and discuss our concerns.
The Nixon Review report is leaked to the media (Nine Entertainment). It recommends banning temporary visa holders from engaging in lawful sex work in Australia.
See:
Scarlet Alliance writes to all Australian Cabinet members urging them to reject the proposed ban on temporary migrants in Australia working in sex work. Scarlet Alliance representatives, including from the Asian Migrant Sex Worker Advisory Group, meet with Hon Clare O'Neil MP, the Minister for Home Affairs.
See: Asian migrant sex workers respond to recent brothel raid
See: Speaking Out Against Anti-Sex Work Politics
Scarlet Alliance distributes a briefing on Operation Inglenook to Members of Parliament, Ministerial offices and relevant Government departments.
The Australian Government releases its Government Response to the Nixon Review Recommendations where it responds to each of the 34 recommendations. It rejects the recommendations that would ban temporary migrant sex workers.
See:
- Visa exploitation review urges tougher penalties and a ban on temporary migrants in sex work. Would this solve the problem?
- Government launches crackdown on 'criminals' exploiting visa system
- Visa system to be target of Labor crackdown after review uncovers ‘grotesque abuses
- Stakeholder comment on Government Response to the Nixon Review
Senator David Pocock requested data on Operation Inglenook from the Department for Home Affairs in October 2023. The questions were taken on notice and answered in December 2023. The data covers the period 14 November 2022 - 12 November 2023.
See:
Further data on Operation Inglenook is released, stating the average time in detention for Inglenook ‘persons of interest’ was 6.83 days. For International Sex Worker Rights Day Give Inglenook the Boot is broadcast on 3CR Radio.
AMSWAG protest outside the NSW Anti-slavery Forum, demanding an end to the raids and profiling of Asian migrant sex workers in workplaces and at the border.
See:
Scarlet Alliance receives the response from a Freedom of Information request for data on Operation Inglenook covering the period 14 November 2022 - 18 August 2024.
The ACTU Congress passes a policy that is ratified at ACTU Executive noting that “most migrants who experience exploitation do not come forward because they fear they will jeopardise their visa in Australia… Border Force raids under Operation Inglenook are targeting sex workers and negatively impacting peer support and WHS in the workplace.”
See:
Scarlet Alliance, AMSWAG and more than forty other community groups launch an email campaign calling for an end to Operation Inglenook, and transphobic and racist profiling at the border leading to detention.
Mon from AMSWAG speaks out against the Border Force raids on brothels at the Scarlet Alliance and SWOP NSW rally to end discrimination.
The UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, Professor Tomoya Obokata notes in his Final End of Mission Statement that "Operation Inglenook conducted by the ABF … allegedly targeted [young Asian women] for detention, interrogation and deportation at the ports of entry with the justification of prevention of sexual exploitation.”
See: Addressing harms caused by Australia’s response to ‘Slavery’
Scarlet Alliance, AMSWAG and Vixen report on the harms of Operation Inglenook at the National Roundtable on Human Trafficking and Slavery. In response, Australian Border Force states that there will be an internal review conducted in early 2025 with an opportunity for stakeholder input.
See: Transgender woman feels isolation, risk of deportation in Villawood Immigration Detention Centre
Up to eight Border Force officers, armed and in uniform, carry out three raids on sex worker workplaces in Naarm, entering work rooms during bookings, questioning workers without language support or interpreters. Scarlet Alliance and Vixen request in writing for Border Force to review their use of raids because they are undermining rights and safety, and for safeguards to prevent gender and racial profiling.
Sex workers and supporters protest outside the ABF offices in Docklands, Victoria, demanding an end to Operation Inglenook.
Scarlet Alliance and Vixen receive correspondence from Immigration Compliance Operations, Department of Home Affairs, claiming that Border Force acts professionally and lawfully, only carries weapons for safety, the operations are described as transparent, it is asserted that workers are permitted to get dressed prior to interview, and states that Operation Inglenook ended 31 December 2024.
Scarlet Alliance publishes its Policing of Asian Migrant Sex Workers briefing paper and subsequently distributes it to over 80 members of federal parliament, plus allied organisations and unions - calling for meetings to discuss the impacts of raids on Asian migrant sex workers and to call for their end.
Sex worker responses
Sex workers respond to ‘exploitation’ allegations by Major Organised Crime Squad and sensationalist media by Respect Inc QLD
Stan’s Revealed: Trafficked exposes Nick McKenzie’s white knight fantasy based on racist stereotyping by Scarlet Alliance, Vixen, and Respect Inc QLD
Asian migrant sex workers respond to recent brothel raids by Asian Migrant Sex Worker Advisory Group
Don’t divide our community: Recommendation to barr migrant sex work in Australia sparks fresh fears for rights of migrant workers by Asian Migrant Sex Worker Advisory Group
Stakeholder comment on Government Response to the Nixon Review by Scarlet Alliance, Human Rights Law Centre and Anti-Slavery Australia
International Sex Worker Rights Day: Give Inglenook the Boot by Whore Intifada takeover of Global Intifada, 3CR Radio
Speaking Out Against Anti-Sex Work Politics in Women’s Honi by Queer Action Collective, Honi Soit
“Racist and disempowering”: NSW Asian migrant sex workers speak out on rescue industry by Grace Johnson, Star Observer
“Asian Migrant Sex Workers” speak about the “Rescue Industry’ by AMSWAG, Scarlet Alliance
Mon from AMSWAG speaking against the increase Border Force raids on brothels as part of the poorly informed Operation Inglenook Scarlet Alliance and SWOP NSW rally to end discrimination
Primary data on Operation Inglenook
Australian Government statements on Operation Inglenook and the Nixon Review
Operation Inglenook by The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA)
ABF crackdown on migrant worker exploitation by Australian Border Force
Strengthening Australia’s immigration compliance and integrity by The Hon Clare O’Neil MP, Minister for Home Affairs
Rapid Review into the Exploitation of Australia’s Visa System by The Department of Home Affairs, includes the final report, and government response
Women stopped from entering Australia after sex work admission by Australian Border Force