Video library owners angry over tapes

Press, 14 September 1988, Page 10

Video library owners angry over tapes

By

DAVE WILSON

The Internal Affairs Department has been accused by video retailers of abdicating its responsibility to police indecent videotapes, which retailers claim are being openly sold through mailorder by backyard operators.

Video library owners, meeting in Christchurch for their annual conference, say they are angry that hardcore pornographic videotapes are circulating in New Zealand and that their shops are being blamed for the availability. Mr Dennis Amiss, executive secretary of the Video Retailers’ Associa-. tion, said Internal Affairs

staff would be told at a meeting tomorrow that the department must take a harder line with “cowboy” video distributors circulating material that has not been vetted by the Video Recordings Authority.

“Internal Affairs appears to have abdicated its responsibility in policing such material. The difficulty in securing evidence and having a trial seems to put it off,” he said.

Mr Amiss said there were many videotapes circulating that should be banned.

“These are not tapes you would find in a video library. They are material

that clearly contravenes the indecency laws. This is stuff that is not being submitted to the Video Recordings Authority.

“When we meet the Internal Affairs people, on Thursday we will seek from them a positive commitment to take action.”

Dealers representing the 600 video libraries in New Zealand are attending the two-day conference in Christchurch.

The industry was concerned about a lack of parental supervision of adult material falling into the hands of minors.

“We can enforce the provisions of the act and not rent the tape to minors, but the public

must accept more responsibility in ensuring the videos do not fall into the wrong hands.”

Mr Amiss said there was also growing community concern about’ttie level of violence in video films, and consumers were reflecting this alarm to video libraries.

“That feeling has been expressed to us right round the country: that the degree of violence approved for viewing’ in New Zealand may not be acceptable to the public at large.

“The feelings of the public may suggest there should be a tightening of attitude towards censorship of violence.”