Robert Lawson
SA State
Legislative Council
Liberal Party
Showed himself to be a supporter of the Festival of Light, and to be of the
opinion that Michael Atkinson did not challenge even more ratings.
South Australian Parliament
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
Monday 28 February 2005
CLASSIFICATION (PUBLICATIONS, FILMS AND COMPUTER GAMES) (TYPES OF CLASSIFICATIONS) AMENDMENT BILL
The Hon. R.D. LAWSON: There are a number of reservations—sometimes, serious reservations— expressed about the current system. In fact, some of the recent decisions in relation to the classification of movies by the Classification Review Board have been described as outrageous by the Festival of Light. Those decisions include the R rating for the film Nine Songs and the MA rating for the film Birth.
It is not surprising that from time to time the South Australian Attorney-General expresses his disagreement with classification matters. However, he rarely appears to exercise the power which he has to seek a review of classifications. Mrs Ros Phillips, the research officer for the Festival of Light, has indicated to me her dismay at the 2003 rewrite of the classification guidelines for films and computer games. In her view, recent classification decisions have shifted in a more permissive direction despite a written assurance from the Office of Film and Literature Classification to the effect that classification standards would remain unchanged after those new guidelines came into operation.
Notwithstanding the reservations that Mrs Phillips and others have expressed, we believe that the current system, with all its imperfections, is working satisfactorily. The fact that some ministers choose to express reservations about particular decisions of the classification board, but then refuse to take the steps open to them to have those reviewed, is really a comment on the commitment of a particular minister rather than an adverse comment on the system itself.
Kevin Lingard
Qld State
Member of Parliament
National Party
Electorate: Beaudesert
Picked up on the campaign by the Religious Right to ban the film BIRTH.
Queensland 51ST PARLIAMENT
WEDNESDAY, 9 MARCH 2005
CRIMINAL CODE (CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND ABUSE) AMENDMENT BILL
Second Reading
Resumed from 24 November 2004 (see p. 3742).
Hon. KR LINGARD (Beaudesert—NPA) (4.59 pm): ......Another concern that the opposition has with these defences relates to the Commonwealth-state classification system for films, computer games et cetera. Generally this system seems to have been working at a standard that has general community acceptance. However, every so often something seems to slip through the system that arguably does not reflect reasonable community values. One recent example of concern is the film Birth, which is alleged to contain certain depictions of an actress in a potentially sexually compromising situation with a 10-year-old boy. Under the classification system that operates, there is a mechanism to have the initial classification reviewed at the request of the relevant minister. The Leader of the Opposition says that he hoped Minister Keech would react favourably to the requests that he has passed on to have the classification of this film reviewed in order to ensure that material that potentially involves the sexual exploitation of children does not seep through the system, thus lowering acceptable community standards. However, from letters he has seen that the minister has sent to citizens who have written to her, it seems that the minister is adopting the common standard of ministers in this area and refusing to utilise the review mechanism that the Commonwealth state classification system has built into it.
The Leader of the Opposition asks why the minister is allowing what is arguably sexual child exploitation material to be displayed in this film. Does she think that suggestions of sexual relations in films between adult females and young males represent acceptable community standards? Why is the minister refusing to utilise the relevant appeal mechanism to have the initial classification reviewed? Is this another example of a hands-off approach by a minister of the government?
Tammy Lobato
Vic State
Member of the Lower House
Labor Party
Electorate: Gembrook
In 2009 she spoke in favour of the group called Say No 4 Kids run by Catherine Manning. They were campaigning to have pornographic magazines removed from service stations and convenience stores.
The Kids Free 2B Kids group that she mentions had already succeeded in pressuring Shell/Coles Express and BP Australia into dropping Category 1 magazines from their stores.
Quoted from:
sayno4kids.com
Supporters Page 2009
‘I am tipping that every parent is thanking Catherine Manning right now for highlighting a major problem confronting parents.
Ms Manning rightly informs us about the dilemma facing parents due to our children being constantly exposed to inappropriate sexual imagery. Even in the settings that should be the most innocent, like the general store, supermarkets and petrol stations.
Personally I am sick to death of it. Even when going for a drive and enjoying music in the car, we are rudely interrupted by advertisments discussing sexual difficulties. I promptly change the station before the uneccessary questions begin. The drive continues and we are subjected to massive billboards asking if adults want it longer lasting. Why on earth are children exposed to these messages, with their ever-inquiring minds desperate for answers to everything?
Censorship laws are woefully inadequate and unless we all take a stand like Ms Manning has, the exploitation will only continue.
Therefore I implore everyone who cares to contact Say No 4 Kids ( www.sayno4kids.com ) and Kids Free to be Kids (www.kf2bk.com) in order to research this issue and find out how you can assist to create change.’
