‘Profanity still an offence'

Press, 6 August 1981, Page 6

‘Profanity still an offence '

Parliamentary reporter The dropping of “profane language” from the Summary Offences Bill would make it impossible to prosecute stage shows in which crude and highly offensive language was used, the secretary of the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards, Miss Patricia Bartlett, told a Parliamentary select committee yesterday. The Statutes Revision Committee was hearing submissions on the Summary Offences Bill. The clause retained “indecent" and “obscene” words as an offence, but if the words used were not in that

category, no charge could be brought. Miss Bartlett said. Disorderly behaviour included as an imprisonable offence “words (addressed) to any person intending to threaten, alarm, insult, or offend that person” but this could not be charged against a stage show in which the words were simply used. The penalty for indecent language at a fine of ?200 was inadequate in relation to theatre companies. It should be $5OO. Asked whether the law should shift with a shift in community standards, Miss Bartlett said, “It is still a strength to be able to say profanity is still an offence on the Statute Books.”

Asked if she considered it a reasonable defence for a playwright to claim a moral point behind the use of profane language, Miss Bartlett said she had not given this thought. The society’s submission sought retention in the bill of the existing offence of fortune telling under the clause, acting as medium with intent to deceive. Strict controls applied over persons who advertised health cures, and sanctions should continue on deception of a credulous public for reward, by means of fortune telling.

Miss Bartlett said it was unfair that males only should be penalised in the bill for indecent exposure.