‘Model’ pornography law upsets Archbishop

Press, 9 May 1984, Page 31

‘Model’ pornography law upsets Archbishop

NZPA-AAP Canberra A flood of pornographic and other objectionable publications had followed recent amendments . to Customs regulations and the new Classification of Publications Ordinance in the Australian Capital Territory, says the Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn, the Most Rev. Francis Carroll. He said he was concerned because the A.C.T. legislation was intended as a model . for uniform laws throughout Australia. The recently amended laws allow the importation or production of any film or video tape so long as it does not depict child pornography, encourage terrorism, or depict extreme violence or cruelty. Commercial dealing in

such material is allowed provided it has been given a classification rating by the Censorship Board, usually an X rating. In the A.C.T. the common law offences of obscene libel and conspiracy to corrupt public morals have been abolished in relation to printed matter, films, or videos which have been given a classification rating. Motions for the disallowance of the A.C.T. regulations are now before Parliament. Archbishop Carroll said that there was a special need for effective laws to control the import, production, and distribution of objectionable video tapes because it was virtually impossible for parents to exercise any control over what

their children may view on video equipment outside their own homes. "Under the A.C.T. law as it now stands, video tapes and discs depicting hardcore pornography and gratuitous violence will be fairly freely available,” he said. He said urgent consideration should be given to devising an effective scheme for prohibiting or regulating the circulation of all objectionable publications, but particularly video tapes and discs. Archbishop Carroll said most parents would be surprised at what material was considered suitable for an M rating, that is, suitable for persons 15 years and over.