Protest against Censorship
"I'm not aware that we've had too many complaints about any
tightening of the system."
"I mean, we'll all carry on about these things in the pub, but we won't
necessarily write letters to the local member."
Richard Alston, Former Minister for Communications, on the tightening of
the X18+ rating.
ABC Four Corners: Deliver us from Evil,
May 5, 2000.
This picture was taken at Balmain Town Hall in Sydney on July 3rd 2003. NSW Police are shown preventing the film KEN PARK (2002) from being screened.
Do situations like this make you angry?
Then read on, and do something about it!
How to contact an Australian Politician
This page has information on how to contact your local State Members.
For the Federal Parliament, go to the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Many of the Religious Right groups have excellent up to date resources on their sites that allow you to contact politicians. There is nothing preventing you from using these for anti-censorship complaints.
Electronic Frontiers Australia has a great page of tips on how to get a politicians' attention.
Contact the Classification and Review Board
Post: Locked Bag 3, Haymarket, New South Wales, 1240
Fax: (02) 9289 7101
Email: enquiries@classification.gov.au
Telephone: (02) 9289 7100
Why you should complain
The simple fact is that the
Religious Right does, and
it works for them.
Their voice is heard because they know how to use the political process.
Here are just a few examples.
Steve Cannane's Sydney Morning Herald article shows how a small group of Queensland Christians changed music classification in Australia.
A lone voice in the wilderness is calling the censorship tune
smh.com.au, March 1, 2004
Pressure from Religious groups forced the OFLC to add warnings of 'Supernatural Themes' to films such as E.T and HARRY POTTER.
Note that THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST was not required to carry such a warning.
Other-worldly fears hit the silver screen
smh.com.au, March 22, 2002
Peter Johnson's article looks at the campaign by the Religious Right that
led to the banning of BAISE-MOI.
Take note of his conclusions.
The Religious Right and Baise-Moi
libertus.net, March 24, 2004
Be aware that the attempted screening of KEN PARK at Balmain Town Hall in July 2003 would have taken place had it not been for one complaint from Fred Nile!
This was despite the event being given saturation media coverage. Five hundred people attended, and countless others were turned away.
No one, apart from Nile cared.
Following his success, he issued a gloating media release titled "The Power of One – Fred Nile strikes again"
This quote from Richard Alston, the former Minister for Communications, is worth repeating as it says it all.
In 2000, the X18+ guidelines were made more restrictive following lobbying by Senator Brian Harradine. Richard Alston had this to say.
"I'm not aware that we've had too many complaints about any tightening
of the system."
"I mean, we'll all carry on about these things in the pub, but we won't
necessarily write letters to the local member."
ABC Four Corners: Deliver us from Evil , May 5, 2000.
It may make you feel better to complain in the echo chamber of your favourite forum. However, do not kid yourself that it will make a difference. Consider directing your anger at someone with the power to change things.
Do not let the morals groups speak for you.
Religious and political interference with the Australian Classification system
This is a run down of the recent cases where Christians have challenged ratings made by the Classification Board. All are covered in our Film Censorship Database, and Games Censorship Database.
The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence (2011)
May 2011: Rated: R18+ (High impact themes, violence and sexual violence) by Classification Board.
COMPLAINT MADE BY: Family Voice Australia, Collective Shout, Australian Family Association.
COMPLAINT ESCALATED BY: NSW Attorney General Greg Smith and Federal Minister for Justice Brendan O’Connor.
RESULT: Banned by Classification Review Board in November 2011.
A Serbian Film (2010)
April 2011: Rated R18+ (High impact sexual violence, Sex scenes and violence).
COMPLAINT MADE BY: Collective Shout.
COMPLAINT ESCALATED BY: SA Attorney General John Rau and Federal Minister for Justice Brendan O’Connor.
RESULT: Banned by Classification Review Board in September 2011.
We Dare: Filthy Fun For All (2010)
September 2010: Rated PG (Mild sexual references).
COMPLAINT MADE BY: Collective Shout.
COMPLAINT ESCALATED BY: Federal Minister for Justice Brendan O’Connor.
RESULT: Confirmed as PG (Mild sexual references) by Classification Review Board in June 2011.
Dead or Alive: Dimensions (2011)
February 2011: Rated PG (Mild violence and sexualised gameplay).
COMPLAINT MADE BY: Unknown.
COMPLAINT ESCALATED BY: Federal Minister for Justice Brendan O’Connor.
RESULT: PG (Mild sexual references) rating revoked by Classification Board in June 2011. Resubmitted to Classification Board and re-rated M (Content may change online.; Violence and sexualised gameplay).
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
April 2010: Rated R18+ (Scenes of torture and degradation, sexual violence and nudity).
COMPLAINT MADE BY: Family Voice Australia, Australian Family Association, Australian Christian Lobby, Senator Julian McGauran, and Senator Guy Barnett.
COMPLAINT ESCALATED BY: Federal Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Connor.
RESULT: Confirmed as R18+ (Scenes of torture and degradation, sexual violence and nudity) by Classification Review Board in May 2010.
COMPLAINT MADE BY: Family Voice Australia in the Federal Court in March 2011.
RESULT: Complaint dismissed in August 2011, and Family Voice Australia ordered to pay costs.