Two ‘Penthouse’ issues indecent

Press, 9 August 1980, Page 2

Two ‘Penthouse’ issues indecent

PA • Wellington, The anti-“ Penthouse” cam-i paigner and Junior Govern- ! ment Whip, Mr D. M. J.' Jones (Nat., Helensville) yes-i terday claimed some success! in his campaign to have the glossy magazine banned. • . He said he had been ad-j vised by the Minister of Jus-: tice (Mr McLay) that two copies of “Penthouse”, magazine for 1980 had been! agreed to be indecent by the. distributor and by the Customs Department if re-, ferred to the Indecent Publi-j cations Tribunal. “I have been advised by the Minister that the Customs Department has had discussions with the dis-

tributor regarding these two issues and I fee! certain that the campaign being run to ban totally the magazine has had some effect in obtaining this decision,” Mr Jones said.

He said he was informed that the distributors had conceded that the issues were indecent and that they dio not have to go before the tribunal.

Mr Jones did not say I which issues had been' ■agreed to be indecent. I Earlier this week, Mr IMcLay had refused Mr Jones | • permission to refer recent issues of “Penthouse” to the: .Indecent. Publications-? Tri? . bunal because he believed •| the standard of the magazine had not changed in the last three years.