UPDATES: March 30th 2008
Censorship Ministers Meeting
Public to be consulted about a games R18+
Access to RC Material for for legitimate academic research
Research shows public happy with Classifications
Refused Classification may be extended to cover hate websites
YMA's Classification information for children
Eros wants uniform X18+ laws and no games R18+
Censored HOSTEL 2 DVD for New Zealand
UPDATES: March 23rd 2008
BELLADONNA'S BUTTHOLE WHORES 2: Banned in Australia
AUSTRALIAN ROSIE FINNISH EROTICA: Banned/Censored in Australia
RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES: Liberal c-words not happy!
The history of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties
Classification Amendment Bill 2008 completes second reading.
AMA wants smoking included in consumer warnings.
UPDATES: March 7th 2008
THE EROTIC FILMS OF PETER DE ROME: Banned from MQFF.
David Stratton: Fighting Censorship.
Michael Atkinson on R18+ Games.
VANILLA SERIES: SPOTLIGHT: The Cuts.
HOLY SMOKE should have been censored for an M-rating.
UPDATES: March 2nd 2008
Games R18+: False Dawn?
OBSCENE MACHINES: Exceeded MA15+.
The Porn Report
Australian Censorship News
30th March 2008
Censorship Ministers Meeting
On Friday the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General met in the Barossa Valley. A games R18+ rating was on the agenda, as was several other censorship related topics. Here is a breakdown of the five topics discussed. First up was the most anticipated discussion regarding an R18+ rating for games.
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Public to be consulted about a games R18+
Okay, it didn't get the green light, but it didn't get knocked back either. Here is what they agreed on.
STANDING COMMITTEE OF ATTORNEYS-GENERAL
(CENSORSHIP)
ADELAIDE, 27-28 MARCH 2008
DECISIONS TO BE PUBLICLY RELEASED
1. R18+ classification for computer games
(Vic) Ministers:
a) noted the research and arguments for and against the introduction of an R18+ classification for computer games in Australia, and
b) agreed in principle to undertake a process of community consultation in relation to whether an R18+ classification for computer games should be introduced into the National Classification Scheme (NCS) and
(i) Requested Officers to develop a Discussion Paper that canvasses options and seeks submissions on whether an R18+ classification for computer games should be introduced into the NCS. The Discussion Paper will include an overview of the relevant research and literature and a proposal to amend the NCS, including amendments required to the Commonwealth Classification (Films, Publications, Computer Games) Act 1995 (the Commonwealth Act), the Classification Code (the Code), the Guidelines for the Classification of Films and Computer Games 2005 (the Guidelines), State and Territory Enforcement Acts (and certain Commonwealth Instruments); and
(ii) Agreed that, in accordance with the Intergovernmental Agreement on Censorship, the Discussion Paper be the subject of public consultation including consultation with industry and interest groups, once Ministers have agreed out of session (if necessary) to release the Paper; and
(iii) Agreed to consider at a subsequent meeting, the outcome of the public consultation on this issue and to resolve whether an R18+ classification for computer games should be introduced into the NCS, and amendments to give effect thereto, should proceed.
Ministers fail to agree on game rating change. SMH 28.03.08
Victorian Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls has pushed hard for an adults only classification for games but was greeted with significant opposition from South Australia's Attorney-General, Michael Atkinson, who argued he was protecting children from "harmful material".
Ron Curry, CEO of the games industry body, the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia (IEAA), welcomed today's decision to consult the public on the issue.
"Our belief is that good legislation comes from a reflection of community sentiment, so the process that the attorney-general is outlining gives us the opportunity to move this into the public forum for discussion," he said.
"We understand that there is a robust legislative process that things must go through, so we have to work through that whole process."
Here is a run down of the Attorney-Generals opinions on this issue. We couldn't find any quotes from Tasmania's David Llewellyn, and Western Australia's Jim McGinty. If you know where they stand then please send in the details, or if you are in their State, write to them.
Federal Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus on R18+
Views sought on video game ratings. ABC Online 28.03.08
Federal Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus says wide consultation is needed before any change is considered.
"There is a degree of unease, we think, in the public about just how much violence, especially younger people, should have access to," he said.
"That's why we agreed today that we would conduct a full consultation with the community so that we all know better whether or not it is a sensible thing to introduce an adult classification for games."
Mr Debus says there are concerns a lack of classification could push the games underground.
"There is a strong argument that if you just refuse to offer a classification then you encourage a kind of a black market, you encourage people to go off and look at games that have no censorship classification at all," he said.
"It's a hard issue to solve and it's one that we will best do in consultation with the Australian people."
Quoted from:
Strange
bedfellows oppose R18 games debate.
news.com.au 28.03.08
Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus said the consultation process would not deliver a final decision.
"This is not a consultation on a proposal to introduce an R18+ level for games," Mr Debus said in a statement.
"It is a public consultation process seeking community views to inform our position."
Mr Debus was keen to stress the federal government had not reached an opinion yet.
"Consultation will allow us to form a view based on evidence about community views on the issue."
South Australian Attorney General Michael Atkinson on R18+
We all know that the South Australian Attorney General Michael Atkinson has always been the biggest obstacle in the way of an R18+. On the day before the meeting had reiterated his opposition to a new rating.
Hon MICHAEL ATKINSON MP
Attorney-General Minister for Justice
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Contact details
News: Australia’s Attorneys-General meet in
Barossa
March 27, 2008
In the wake of yesterday’s successful meeting in Adelaide of Australia’s leaders, today the nation’s Attorneys-General will meet in the Barossa Valley for the first time under the new Rudd Labor Government.
One of the more contentious items on the agenda will be considered on Friday when delegates will discuss allowing an R18+ classification for computer games.
Mr Atkinson says he remains totally opposed to allowing these games to be sold in South Australia.
“I am aware of considerable lobbying from gamers and the gaming industry, but my view remains unchanged; these games depicting extreme violence, racism and violent and degrading sexual assaults should not be available no matter what rating they are given.”
Northern Territory Attorney General Chris Burns on R18+
Concern that new video game laws could undermine NT pornography bans ABC Online 27.03.08
The Northern Territory Government says a ban on violent and sexually explicit computer games in remote Aboriginal communities must continue.
The Northern Territory's Dr Chris Burns is not opposed to a change, but does not want video games to undermine current pornography bans in remote Aboriginal communities.
"There should be some care exercised here ... I think consistency is an important element here," Dr Burns said.
Victorian Attorney General Rod Hulls on R18+
Rod Hulls
Attorney-General
Media Release
PUBLIC TO BE CONSULTED ON CLASSIFICATION OF R18+ GAMES
Censorship Ministers at the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General (SCAG) today agreed to public consultation on the issue of R18+ computer games.
Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls welcomed the agreement by SCAG to consult on whether an R18+ classification for computer games should be introduced into the National Classification Scheme.
Mr Hulls said there had been community interest for some time about reviewing the current classification scheme, which only allows computer games with a maximum classification of MA15+ to be lawfully available in Australia.
"I believe that censorship laws should strike an appropriate balance between freedom of expression and community concerns about depictions that condone or incite violence, as well as the principle that minors should be protected from material likely to harm or disturb them," he said.
Mr Hulls said an analysis of literature and research on the issue compiled by Victoria suggested there were persuasive arguments to support the introduction of an 'adult only' category of computer game classification in Australia.
"While computer games have predominantly been considered the domain of children, the most up-to-date research indicates a steadily growing trend in adult consumers of the product, with the current average age of gamers reported to be 28 years," he said.
"It seems inconsistent that in Australia, adults are allowed to view 'adult only' films which have been classified R18+ by the Classification Board, but not computer games with an equivalent high level content.
"With the increasing convergence between films and games, the different approach to classification principles is difficult to sustain."
Mr Hulls said it was anticipated that should an R18+ classification for computer games be introduced, games containing extreme violence, explicit sexual material, instruction in crime or characters using illegal drugs would continue to be refused classification.
He said as with films with high level content, 'adult only' classified games would not be intended for use by a minor.
"Recent technological advances mean that with the latest generation of gaming platforms, parents can control their child's access to appropriate gaming material," he said.
Mr Hulls said it would be only after public consultation had been completed that Censorship Ministers would consider whether or not it was appropriate to introduce an R18+ classification for computer games in Australia.
"At the moment, Australia is out of step with the rest of the developed world on this issue," he said.
Queensland Attorney General Kerry Shine on R18+
Quoted from:
Violent games okayed but ban remains for players aged under 18
news.com.au
02.03.08
QUEENSLAND will support moves to allow violent, bloody and R18+ computer games on to the market - but only if they can be kept away from children.
Attorney-General Kerry Shine, acknowledging that anyone could download these games off the internet or buy them overseas, said he would be hesitant to amend laws.
"I'd have to be really guaranteed that children, in particular, are protected," Mr Shine said.
ACT Attorney General Simon Corbell on R18+
Quoted from
Views
sought on video game ratings.
ABC Online 28.03.08
ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell says there is concern people are already illegally downloading or importing the games.
"There is a strong push from a range of jurisdictions - including the ACT - to see this issue dealt with by regulation," he said.
"It doesn't make sense to have these types of games refused classification in Australia and only being available on the black market."
NSW Attorney General John Hatzistergos on R18+
Parliament of New South Wales
Legislative Council
28 February 2008
Computer Games R18+ Rating
About this Item Speakers - Nile Reverend The Hon
Fred; Hatzistergos The Hon John
Business - Questions Without Notice
COMPUTER GAMES R18+ RATING Page: 5611
Reverend the Hon. FRED NILE: I ask the Attorney General a question without notice. Is it a fact that extremely violent and sexually explicit video and computer games encourage violent behaviour, school shootings and teenage suicides? Will the Attorney General give an assurance that this material will remain on the refused classification category and not be sold or hired in New South Wales? Will he also give an assurance that the New South Wales Government will oppose any attempts to introduce a new R-rated category for these violent video and computer games, to prevent them being viewed by children who are exposed to them by irresponsible adults?
The Hon. JOHN HATZISTERGOS: The scheme for the classification of films, publications and computer games is a national, co-operative scheme. The Commonwealth Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 establishes the classification authorities—the Classification Board and the Review Board—and provides the framework and guidelines for the administration and making of classification decisions. The criteria to be applied by the boards when making decisions are set out in the classification code and guidelines, and changes to the code and guidelines must be agreed to by all jurisdictions. That is what the legislation says. However, the previous Coalition Government decided to unilaterally change the code and guidelines at one point, notwithstanding the fact there was not concurrence.
I can confirm that at the next meeting of the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General in March 2008—to be held in the Barossa Valley, in South Australia—Ministers from each of the States and Territories as well as the Commonwealth will discuss whether amendments should be made to the code and guidelines to introduce an R18+ rating for computer games. Unlike films, computer games currently can only be classified G, PG, M or MA15+. Games that are considered by the Classification Board to contain material that is outside the scope of an MA15+ rating are refused classification. When a game is refused classification, it is unlawful to sell or publicly demonstrate it anywhere in Australia. There are complex arguments for and against the introduction of an R18+ classification for computer games. At this point in time I have not seen any specific proposal beyond what has been discussed in the newspapers by the Minister for Home Affairs.
Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile: Do you propose a change?
The Hon. JOHN HATZISTERGOS: I have indicated what is the position. However, I have previously put proposals to strengthen the code and guidelines, particularly in relation to banning material that advocates terrorism acts. The former Federal Attorney-General agreed to my proposal, as did the relevant Ministers from all the States and Territories, and a discussion paper was released and a number of submissions were made. I proposed that there be a change to the code, but ultimately the code was not amended in the way I had proposed: the former Federal Government passed legislation to facilitate the change unilaterally.
I do not know where this matter will end up. Hopefully there will be a cooperative decision in relation to the way forward. I will no doubt be looking at these issues very closely. My general position, however, in relation to matters of this kind is that there is considerable material out there, particularly of the kind Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile refers to. I am not sure there needs to be some sort of expansion of the material that is available beyond what is already required, but I will look at all the arguments that are put.
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Access to RC Material for legitimate academic research
The second point was discussed following the introduction of the new terrorism laws. Academics voiced concern that they would be unable to use works that had been Refused Classification when performing research.
STANDING COMMITTEE OF ATTORNEYS-GENERAL
(CENSORSHIP)
ADELAIDE, 27-28 MARCH 2008
DECISIONS TO BE PUBLICLY RELEASED
2. RC Material for Research (Cth)
Ministers:
(a) noted the working group Report;
(b) agreed that access to refused classification (RC) material for legitimate academic research and educational purposes would be best effected by each State and Territory prescribing the persons, bodies or classes of persons to whom RC material and submittable publications may be published and on what conditions;
(c) agreed in principle to amend the regulation making powers in their respective classification enforcement Acts to enable conditions on publishing to prescribed 2 of 3 persons and access by those prescribed persons to be imposed in the prescribing regulation;
(d) agreed in principle to prescribe:
(i) professional research and teaching staff and fellows and senior librarians at higher education providers (as approved under the Commonwealth Higher Education Support Act 2003),
(ii) students identified by the research and teaching staff and fellows, and
(iii) senior librarians at National and State libraries;
(e) agreed in principle that the regulation prescribing them should specify that publishing to them and access and use by them, is subject to requirements that the material must:
(i) relate directly to the area of research, study or teaching of the prescribed person; and
(ii) be kept securely at all times in a controlled environment;
(f) requested officers to develop, consistent with these decisions:
(i) model amendments to the regulation-making power, and
(ii) model regulations prescribing the class of persons and the conditions on which RC material and submittable publications may be published to them;
(g) requested officers to conduct targeted consultation on the model provisions and regulations; and
(h) requested officers to report back to Ministers at the next meeting.
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Research shows public happy with Classifications
The third point concerns a Galaxy Research report looking classification decisions and community standards. Considering that the outcome was that nothing in the report necessitated for a review of the guidelines, we can conclude that the public is generally happy with the classifications.
STANDING COMMITTEE OF ATTORNEYS-GENERAL
(CENSORSHIP)
ADELAIDE, 27-28 MARCH 2008
DECISIONS TO BE PUBLICLY RELEASED
3. Research Into Community Standards (Cth) Ministers:
(a) noted the findings of the research report prepared by Galaxy on classification decisions and community standards
(b) agreed that Galaxy’s report be provided to the Classification Board and Classification Review Board drawing their attention to the community’s views on violence and actual sex in R 18+ films
(c) agreed that the report be made publicly available, and
(d) noted that nothing in the research gives rise to a need to review the guidelines.
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Refused Classification may be extended to cover hate websites
It looks like the slow creep of subjects that can be Refused Classification is set to continue. We've already had 'advocating terrorism' added to the mix. Now they are looking at hate.
STANDING COMMITTEE OF ATTORNEYS-GENERAL
(CENSORSHIP)
ADELAIDE, 27-28 MARCH 2008
DECISIONS TO BE PUBLICLY RELEASED
4. Hate Based Websites (Cth)
Ministers requested that officers:
(a) prepare a paper canvassing the benefits and disadvantages of extending the definition of RC material to include hate-based material, and a proposal as to how such material could be defined and included in the National Classification Code or Guidelines, and
(b) report back with a recommendation at the next SCAG (Censorship) meeting.
Law chiefs plan ban on race-hate sites. The Australian 01.04.08
There are racial vilification laws, but the problem with the internet is you can't trace down the people," NSW Attorney-General John Hatzistergos said yesterday.
"Any material that incites vilification and hatred is of concern. Material on the internet is a particular concern because it provides a cheap and easy means of dissemination to a very wide audience."
The proposal, which would be open for public consultation before any decision was made, followed a referral to the attorneys by state and federal police ministers, Mr Hatzistergos said. Concerns had also been expressed by non-English-speaking groups about comments on white-supremacist websites.
For the ACMA to be able to take down sites, it would require a new definition of the "refused classification" category used by the federal Government's Classification Board to deal with violent pornography and similar material. The proposed system could affect websites such as the one operated by the Australia First party, which was involved in the civil unrest at Cronulla in December 2005.
....Dale Clapperton, from the online civil liberties group Electronic Frontiers Australia, said a problem with banning such sites was that "it inevitably turns them into martyrs and gives more attention to the type of material you are trying to suppress".
"The best cure for 'bad' speech is more speech," Mr Clapperton said.
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YMA's Classification information for children
The final point on the SCAG agenda acknowledged the film reviews provided by Young Media Australia.
STANDING COMMITTEE OF ATTORNEYS-GENERAL
(CENSORSHIP)
ADELAIDE, 27-28 MARCH 2008
DECISIONS TO BE PUBLICLY RELEASED
5. General Business
(a) Young Media Australia – Film Review Service (SA)
Ministers noted the availability of the film review service, Know Before You Go, provided by Young Media Australia.
YMA's THE SIMPSON MOVIE Review
We thought we would check-out the YMA site. Here is their ultra in-depth review of THE SIMPSONS MOVIE. If you are a concerned parent then there is not much more you are going to need to know after reading this. The review blows just about every joke, so forget it if you are thinking of enjoying the film with your kids.
www.youngmedia.org.au
The Simpsons Movie
This topic contains:
overall comments and recommendations details about The Simpsons Movie's classification and consumer advice lines a review of The Simpsons Movie completed by Young Media Australia (YMA) on 25 July 2007.
Overall comments and recommendations
Children under 10 Not recommended due to violence, sexual references, substance use and themes
Children 10-13 Parental guidance recommended due to violence, sexual references, substance use and themes
Children over 13 OK with or without parental guidance
About the movie
This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) and the associated consumer advice lines.
Name of movie The Simpsons Movie
Rating PG
Consumer advice lines Mild animated violence,
nudity and drug use, Sexual references, coarse language and themes
Length 87 minutes
YMA review
A synopsis of the story
In the country town of Springfield, Lisa Simpson (voice of Yeardley Smith) embarks on a campaign to rid the local lake of pollution. However, her father, Homer (Dan Castellaneta) decides that the rules do not apply to him and proceeds to dump a load of pig manure into the recently cleansed lake. What ensues is a natural disaster of toxic proportions causing the government to isolate the town by enclosing it into a large glass dome. Naturally, the townspeople are less than happy and the Simpson family barely escape their wrath.
After much soul-searching, Marge (Julie Kauner) decides to return to Springfield in an attempt to save it from being permanently wiped out. Homer eventually follows and he and Bart (Nancy Cartwright) manage to save the town.
Themes
Children and adolescents may react adversely at different ages to themes of crime, suicide, drug and alcohol dependence, death, serious illness, family breakdown, death or separation from a parent, animal distress or cruelty to animals, children as victims, natural disasters and racism. Occasionally reviews may also signal themes that some parents may simply wish to know about.
Environmental disaster, Animal cruelty, Substance abuse
Use of violence
Research shows that children are at risk of learning that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution when violence is glamourised, performed by an attractive hero, successful, has few real life consequences, is set in a comic context and / or is mostly perpetrated by male characters with female victims, or by one race against another.
Repeated exposure to violent content can reinforce the message that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution. Repeated exposure also increases the risks that children will become desensitised to the use of violence in real life or develop an exaggerated view about the prevalence and likelihood of violence in their own world.
There is a significant amount of animated violence in this movie including:
A mouse (from the “Itchy & Scratchy” cartoon) spears a cat with a flag whilst they are on the moon then proceeds to beat his helmet in until the cat’s eyes explode.
The “president” of mice from the same cartoon presses a nuclear bomb button to launch warheads to the moon to destroy the cat. The cat swallows the warheads and explodes, spreading body parts everywhere.
When a cartoon “Green Day” band mention the environment at a concert, the townspeople throw rocks and rubbish at them and their pontoon until it sinks. The drummer is hit with a rock in his groin. Homer ‘strangles’ Bart more than once
A bully hits a boy in the head so that he falls to the ground.
Bart repeatedly shoots Homer with an air gun while Homer is carrying a load of bricks.
Homer pulls a pig’s tail to make him squeal.
An old woman washes her cats on a washboard at the side of the lake.
With his car, Homer purposely runs over an old man holding a sign near the lake and later reverses over another person.
Bart jabs a mutant squirrel in its many eyes with a stick.
A child is bounced off a seesaw and flung into the wall of the glass dome.
A resident is squashed flat under the rim of the dome.
Birds fly into the wall of the dome and get squashed. Cats are waiting below for them to fall down.
The police shoot at the dome to break it and the bullets ricochet off it back into them, injuring them.
The townspeople stick Homer in the backside with a pitchfork and throw an electric saw at his head. As he disappears down a hole in the sandpit, they scratch and claw at his head. One person fires an arrow at it, which lodges into his scalp.
Lisa hits Bart in the face, knocking him down.
The Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) throws his binoculars at his second in charge. They miss, hit their vehicle, bounce back, hit the wall of the dome, then bounce off to hit him in the head.
Homer has repeated accidents which result in injury, including nailing himself to the roof through the leg, falling through the roof, or falling on his head whilst riding a motorcycle inside a sphere.
A man strikes the wall of the dome with a large fish and an elephant is encouraged to run into it to try and break it. The elephant collapses.
On a video game, a walrus shoots a dancing penguin. The penguin is forced through a window with the force of the shot.
A polar bear attacks a dog.
During a vision, Homer is repeatedly hit by trees. His body is then dissected into small pieces before being put back together again.
Homer drives sled dogs with a whip all day and into the night. When he releases them from their harnesses they attack him.
Homer has an accident with a wrecking ball and is beaten up by it.
Bart and Lisa kick each other in their sleep.
Mo and Barney throw a Molotov cocktail to each other.
Homer hits a security guard in the face.
Townspeople throw rocks at Homer.
A bomb disposal robot shoots itself in the head to commit suicide.
A victimised child takes revenge on bullies by beating them up with a plank of wood.
A resident is killed by a falling shard of glass.
Maggie drops a rock on to the Head of the EPA as he threatens to shoot Homer and Bart with a shotgun.
Material that may scare children
Under eight
Children under eight are most likely to be frightened by scary visual images, such as monsters, physical transformations, the death of a parent or child abandoned or separated from parents, children or animals being hurt or threatened and / or natural disasters.
In addition to the above-mentioned violent scenes, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children under the age of eight, including the following:
A beam of light descends on Grandpa Simpson who then goes into a prophetic outburst and ends up having a seizure on the floor of the church.
Homer gives himself an electric shock with a bug zapper in the lake.
A squirrel transforms into a mutant with many eyes after jumping into the polluted lake.
The newsreader’s face suddenly sags (due to a shortage of Botox) and he pulls the excess skin up behind his neck and fastens it tight with a peg.
Maggie at first, then the rest of the family, including their house, are sucked down a sinkhole in the sandpit.
Homer has an hallucination in an Inuit’s hut that involves humanoid trees, multiple images of Homer falling down stairs, and Homer becoming disembodied as his head melts.
A large image of an Inuit woman appears in the Aurora Borealis guiding Homer as to which direction he should go.
Bart has an accident on his skateboard and is flung into the window of a café.
Bart is handcuffed by the police and left restrained to a pole naked for the rest of the day. Passers-by tease him.
A pig is threatened with a saw.
Fish in the lake are stunned with a bug zapper and they float to the surface. Homer then tries to chew on one and receives an electric shock in the process.
Homer turns a pig upside down and makes it walk across the ceiling.
Maggie is separated briefly from Marge on the other side of the dome.
Bart claps his hands and sets off an avalanche that buries Homer briefly.
Aged eight to thirteen
Children aged eight to thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic threats and dangers, violence or threat of violence and / or stories in which children are hurt or threatened.
In addition to the above mentioned violent and disturbing scenes, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children aged eight to thirteen, including the following:
Marge takes the children and leaves Homer in Alaska.
Marge and the children are captured attempting to return to save Springfield from being blown up. They are shackled, put into the back of a prison van, and gassed to sleep.
Bart is dared by Homer to climb up the TV aerial on the roof of the house. Homer then shakes the aerial shouting “Earthquake!” until Bart falls off and clutches at the gutter.
A dead body wrapped in plastic is dragged down to the lake.
The townspeople riot and approach the Simpson’s house with torches and weapons.
Conjoined twins threaten to hit their husband with rolling pins. A pack of dogs chases residents out of Mr Burns’ house.
Homer and Bart ride up the side of the dome on a motorcycle so that Bart can throw a bomb out of a hole at the top. Bart almost falls from the motorcycle just before the throw. Their descent down involves a ride over a canyon where they almost crash.
Mr Burns tells Smithers that while he has never considered suicide before, it might be fun for Smithers to watch him do it.
Over the age of thirteen
Children over the age of thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic physical harm or threats, molestation or sexual assault and / or threats from aliens or the occult.
Children in this age group are unlikely to be disturbed by anything in this movie.
Product placement
The Simpsons characters will be heavily used to sell products as a result of the movie.
Several famous people were referred to or used during the movie including (but not limited to):
The band, ‘Green Day’ Arnold Schwarzenegger Danny DeVito Tom Hanks Other movies were referred to, including:
Spider Man Happy Feet
Sexual references
There are a number of sexual references in this movie, including:
A woman at the Green Day concert exposes her t-shirt covering her expansive chest with the words “Not my boyfriend ” with an arrow pointing downwards, as she sits on the shoulders of Principal Skinner.
Millhouse propositions Lisa with the phrase, “C’mon over, Lisa. You can canvas me as long as you want.”
Bart says, “The girls may see my doodle.”
During “grace”, Flanders mistakenly says, “Don’t forget to thank the Lord for this bountiful – penis!?”
A potato chip is held up as a phallic symbol at Bart’s groin.
A reference to bestiality is made on the television. Homer turns to the pig sitting on the couch and says, “Don’t you get any ideas……Should we just kiss to break the tension?”
Homer alludes to masturbation saying, “Give it two shakes and it’s playing with yourself.”
To the Inuit woman Homer says, “Thank you, Boob Lady.”
The Inuit woman whips her breasts around to indicate which direction Homer should go.
Grabbing his groin, Homer says, “Now Homer Simpson is going to show he has kahooners!”
Nudity and sexual activity
There is some nudity and sexual activity in this movie, including:
Bart skateboards naked down the streets of Springfield.
Bart is flung naked into the window of the café while the Flanders are dining.
Bart is handcuffed to a pole while still naked and left to be teased by the locals. He is then taken, partly dressed, by Homer into the café.
Homer sticks both middle fingers up in a rude gesture to the townspeople as he disappears down the sinkhole.
Two male police officers walk towards a door, kiss each other in a passionate embrace, and fall on top of each other as they throw open the door.
Disney-like animals help Marge and Homer to undress, revealing sexy underwear, as they prepare to spend some adult time together without the children.
Marge and Homer are seen kissing passionately in their wedding video and later on a motorcycle.
Use of substances
There is some use of substances in this movie, including:
Bart drinks from a whisky bottle supplied in the mini-bar of a motel. He ends up drunk as a result.
Homer refers to Alaska as being “(a) place where you can’t be too fat or too drunk.”
There is a scene in Mo’s tavern where the patrons are drinking at the bar and then steal the alcohol during a blackout.
Marge and the children are gassed with an anaesthetising substance while in the back of a prison van.
Coarse language
There is some coarse language in this movie, including:
“Giant sucker”
“My heiney is dipping”
“You suck; shut up and play”
“I’ll be praying like hell on my death bed”
“Shut up, Flanders”
“The girls may see my doodle”
“…bountiful – penis”
“Oh my God”
“This is why we should hate kids”
“You suck”
“Those idiots don’t even know where we live”
“So long losers”
“You just bought another load of crap from the world’s largest fertiliser
salesman”
“I’m happy here, screw Springfield”
“Give it two shakes and it’s playing with yourself”
“Thank you, Boob Lady”
“ Shut up”
“…His big fat arse could shield us all”
“Now Homer Simpson is going to show he has kahooners”
“Thanks, losers”
“I’ve been taking your crap all my life”
“I’m a Wiener”
The movie's message
The Simpsons Movie is a feature-length version of the long-running American cartoon series of the same name. The series has always been controversial, dividing its viewers between those regarding it as crude and offensive, and those regarding it as enlightened and funny. The movie will no doubt do the same.
The main messages from this movie are the need to respect the environment and protect it from the detrimental effects of pollution, and the importance of family cohesion. Values in this movie that parents may wish to reinforce with children include honesty and determination to succeed against all odds.
Parents may wish to discuss the real life consequences of violence, lack of respect for authority, animal cruelty and poor eating habits.
BBFC Extra consumer advice for THE SIMPSON MOVIE
In the UK the BBFC have an extra website especially designed for concerned parents. It provides extended consumer advice for children's films, but stops well short of totally dissecting the film as Young Media Australia have done.
www.pbbfc.co.uk
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
Consumer Advice Contains mild language, innuendo and comic violence
Summary The cult animated TV series gets the big-screen treatment and Homer gets to try and save the world.
Extended Consumer Advice Television's most famous animated family get the big screen treatment. 'The Simpsons Movie' was passed 'PG' for mild language, innuendo and comic violence.
The mild bad language includes 'bastard', 'ass', 'crap', 'screwed-up' and a comic, non-sexual use of 'penis' - all uttered in a comic manner and falling within current BBFC 'PG' guidelines.
The mild sex references and innuendo include implied sexual activity between Homer and Marge (unseen by the audience) and a comic comment on masturbation from Homer, ('More than two shakes and you're playing with yourself'), that is unlikely to be understood by younger viewers.
You might well have read press stories about Bart's nude skateboarding antics in this film. Whilst there are comic comments about his 'doodle' during this episode, there is no full frontal nudity. What nudity there is is not seen in a sexual context and, as such, can be accomodated at 'PG'.
The mild comic violence (including scenes in which Homer is nearly hung by a lynch mob, baby Maggie threatens a monkey with the jagged end of her feeding bottle, and a robot shoots itself in the head) lacks realistic detail or injury, and carries a slapstick quality that will be recognised from the television series, and which fits within the BBFC Guidelines at 'PG' that allow for such details within a comic context.
The film also contains very mild language including uses of 'God', 'Jesus' and 'Christ'.
'PG' stands for Parental Guidance. A 'PG' film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. However, parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset younger or more sensitive children.
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Eros wants uniform X18+ laws and no games R18+
On the day of the SCAG meeting the Eros Association issued a press release calling for X18+ to be nationwide. From what has been publicly released from the meeting, it does not look like the issued was raised. Unfortunately, Eros was also reported to be on the same side as the Australian Christian Lobby in opposing the adoption of an R18+ for games. Not a good look!
Uniform Porn Laws Needed
Current News
Friday, 28 March 2008
EROS has called for Uniform Porn Retail Laws. As most of us are aware material legally classified by the Federal Government as X-rated can be sold in the ACT and the Northern Territory, but not in any other states.
People can legally own pornography in other states, and usually obtain it by mail from Canberra. But because of the ban on selling it, a pirate trade has sprouted in weekend markets and petrol stations for imported, non-classified DVDs, some containing banned content such as violent sex scenes, which EROS is very much opposed to.
Fiona Patten EROS CEO called the states' laws regarding the matter untenable, saying, "It is illogical and ideological madness for state Labor governments to argue that people should not be able to sell legal X-rated films when federal Labor says they can run a business with the product."
"The current ban on classified X-rated films has opened the market to unscrupulous operators who sell pirated and refused classification material from a wide variety of outlets," she added, "including weekend markets and petrol stations."
Fiona has urged the Federal Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus to raise the issue at the March meeting of the Standing Committee of Attorneys General (SCAG), however a spokesman for Debus said "I would be surprised if this issue is high on the agenda" of the March meeting.
Strange bedfellows oppose R18 games debate. news.com.au 28.03.08
The call for public consultation was immediately criticised by both the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) and the Eros Foundation - a pornography lobby group.
"Given what happens with R-rated films, we could have no confidence that the classification guidelines would be properly applied," ACL managing director Jim Wallace said in a statement.
"For example, due to loopholes in the guidelines, real sex is sometimes being shown in R-rated films.
"What will happen if we have R18+ games, which have even greater impact because of their interactive nature," he asked.
A spokesman for Eros said the foundation backed the ACL stance.
"We support the Australian Christian Lobby's point of view," the spokesman said tonight.
"Because we believe that there's too much violence out there and there are more pressing issues for the attorneys to consider such as the regulation of the X-rated film industry."
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Censored HOSTEL 2 DVD for New Zealand
As we reported last month in our review of New Zealand censorship in 2007, HOSTEL 2 was banned by the NZOFLC. On April 30th it is due to receive a belated DVD release missing the scene where Lorna is tortured. The General Manager of Sony Pictures is justifiably annoyed with the whole process. Instead of rebadging the Australian DVD, he has had to re-author the whole disc for a market of four million people.
Hostel: Part II finally being released in New Zealand. TV3 28.03.08
Sony Pictures (NZ), the film's distributor in New Zealand, fought the decision to have the film censored last year and is still unhappy with the result.
"What a waste of time the whole process was," says Sony Pictures (NZ) General Manager Andrew Cornwell. "It's cost a fortune for us to have our own special DVD version and has meant a delay to the DVD release. Everyone who wanted to has seen the bloodbath scene on YouTube anyway."
After the film was denied a classification by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC), the decision was appealed at the Film and Literature Board of Review.
The Board of Review disagreed that the entire scene should be removed and with the rationale applied by the OFLC for the censorship. They did, however, rule that scene had to be censored before release in New Zealand, by a vote of 3 - 2.
Update 30th March 2008
Refused-Classification.com
Australian Censorship News
23rd March 2008
BELLADONNA'S BUTTHOLE WHORES 2: Banned in Australia
Following her recent visit to the Brisbane Sexpo, Belladonna has had yet another of her DVD's banned by our censors. The latest target was BELLADONNA'S BUTTHOLE WHORES 2 which Clavista had labelled with an RC rating on March 19th.
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AUSTRALIAN ROSIE FINNISH EROTICA: Banned/Censored in Australia
Back in November 2007 FZ (NSW) Pty Ltd had the AUSTRALIAN ROSIE FINNISH EROTICA #1 DVD banned by the censors. Since then they have been busy cutting it back to an acceptable level and on March 13th were finally rewarded with an X18+ (Explicit Sex) rating.
Unfortunately, on March 7th, THE AUSTRALIAN ROSIE FINNISH EROTICA #2 was also hit with an RC rating. Presumably this will also eventually be censored it an attempt to get it rated.
Last year THE AUSTRALIAN ROSIE: SWEDISH EROTICA #1 was also banned, and then cut.
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RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES: Liberal c-words not happy!
With Trish Draper and De-Anne Kelly out of Federal Politics, we have been keenly waiting for the latest bunch of Liberal wowsers to step forward and take their place. This week saw the South Australian Senator Cory Bernardi put his hat in the ring with a speech to the Senate regarding bad language in RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES. He was backed up by a supporting speech in the house by Bruce Billson. Billson also mentioned that Luke Simpkins also shared their concern. So Billson, Bernardi, and Simpkins, three names to watch for in the future.
Senator Bernardi will go far, already he making false statements in support of his case. Here he is on the Bill Grundy Sex Pistols interview.
"....and what saw British television ban the band the Sex Pistols in 1976 for using the c-word, is now readily available and quite apparent on the 9.30 timeslot in shows such as Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares."
What they did say was shit, sod, bastard, fucker, and fucking, but not a single c-word was aired.
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The history of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties
We've yet to take a look at this, but are sure it will be an interesting read. Last weeks review in the Sydney Morning Herald sums it up as:
"This is the story of that organisation and its fights against all kinds of censorship"
"...this book demonstrates there are still many battles that need to be fought"
www.nswccl.org.au
The Liberating of Lady Chatterley and Other True Stories
A History of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties Dorothy Campbell and Scott Campbell
The New South Wales Council for Civil Liberties (NSWCCL) is an independent organisation that has fought vigorously for citizens’ rights in Australia since the end of World War ll. Comprised of many of Australia’s leading lawyers, academics, civil servants and parliamentary representatives, its battles over the years include Aboriginal and homosexual harassment, police corruption, and censorship including DH Lawrence’s book Lady Chatterley’s Lover and, more recently, The Peaceful Pill Handbook by Philip Nitschke, Fiona Stewart and Exit International.
In the 1960s it defended the rights of Hari Krishna worshippers, Vietnam War protesters and political dissidents of both the Left and Right. Today, many of the same battles are in essence being fought again as NSWCCL takes on the plight of Australia’s Muslim community, restrictions on the right to protest and anti-terrorism human rights violations.
Written from the inside by two of NSWCCL’s longest standing members, The Liberating of Lady Chatterley and Other True Stories is a passionate and highly entertaining account of NSWCCL’s activities and star players over the decades. It is essential reading for anyone interested in civil rights in Australia.
About the authors
Dorothy and Scott Campbell have both had long careers in the NSW teaching service. Dorothy is co-author of Out of the Dolls House – Women in the Public Sphere and both have written on education issues. Dorothy is also a long-time visitor to Villawood Detention Centre where she has taken up the causes of a number of detainees. Both Dorothy and Scott Campbell have been members of NSWCCL almost from its inception and have been active in support of many who have been denied their rights.
The Liberating of Lady Chatterley can be purchased from the CCL office, or from the Law Society’s shop at 170 Phillip Street, Sydney or online from the Law Society’s website: www.lawsociety.com.au.
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Classification Amendment Bill 2008 completes second reading.
The CLASSIFICATION (PUBLICATIONS, FILMS AND COMPUTER GAMES) AMENDMENT (ASSESSMENTS AND ADVERTISING) BILL 2008 has now been read for a second time and has passed the house with no amendments. This is one of those rare bills that deal with censorship that actually liberalises things a little in the form of industry self-regulation. It allows unclassified computer games to be advertised before they are classified, and streamlines the rating process for television series. The ALP's Peter Perrett, Jim Turnour, and Bill Shorten all spoke in favour of the bill.
In his speech Peter Perritt tells us that one of his brothers works for the OFLC. We often hear from the censors that it a boring job having to watch porn all day. Well apparently it is not as bad as having to watch an entire back to back run of ARE YOUR BEING SERVED? or ON THE BUSES.
"..... it is apparently incredibly mind-numbingly boring to watch porn all day or, even worse, to watch sitcoms all day, going all the way through, or, likewise, to go through all the different levels of computer games to make sure there is nothing inappropriate."
Peter Perrett supports the Bill
CLASSIFICATION (PUBLICATIONS, FILMS AND COMPUTER
GAMES) AMENDMENT (ASSESSMENTS AND ADVERTISING) BILL 2008: Second Reading
Date 20 March, 2008
Database House Hansard
Speaker Perrett, Graham, MP (Moreton, ALP, Government)
Page 82
Proof Yes
Source House
Stage Second Reading
Type Speech
Context Bills
Main Committee Yes
CLASSIFICATION (PUBLICATIONS, FILMS AND COMPUTER GAMES) AMENDMENT (ASSESSMENTS AND ADVERTISING) BILL 2008 Second Reading Speech Mr PERRETT (Moreton) (10.19 a.m.)—I am pleased to speak in support of the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Amendment (Assessments and Advertising) Bill 2008. The laws relating to how we classify or rate media are important for allowing consumers to make informed choices about what they see and hear, and they are important for protecting children and young people from viewing inappropriate material. The laws also provide a degree of regulation for a highly competitive industry. It is certainly amazing how much things have changed since when I was a kid. If I wanted to research a topic in primary school, I would have to jump on my bike, go down to the library in a small country town, see if the books were in and, if the books were not in, wait a couple of weeks for them to come in from another country town—whereas, nowadays, a 10- or 12-year-old boy can look up porn from all over the world very quickly. That is the change that the World Wide Web has made in terms of accessing information.
The National Classification Scheme classifies films, including video, DVDs, computer games and some publications. State and territory governments also have classification legislation in place to enforce the scheme. This bill will put in place a scheme to allow unclassified computer games to be advertised before they are classified. Of course, this is subject to various conditions.
The bill also streamlines the classification process for films that are one or more episodes of a television series broadcast in Australia. Under the National Classification Scheme, films and computer games cannot legally be advertised until classified. However, under the advertising exemption scheme a limited number of exemptions can be granted. There is a set quota of 110 exemptions each year. These apply to major cinema releases where the film has not yet been completed, and therefore cannot be classified, when advertising begins. I am sure we have all sat in cinemas and seen the ads saying, ‘This film has not yet been classified.’
Last year the classification scheme reviewed more than 800 computer games. Currently computer games cannot carry advertisements for games that have not yet been classified. The computer game industry, I will inform those people who are over 18, is a very big industry in Australia. In fact, last year the computer games industry out-profited the cinema industry. It is not an area that I have been into, but at each shopping centre you go to now you see shops that are full of computer games. So this measure is similar to cinemas in that it lets people buy a game before it has been classified by the Office of Film and Literature Classification. With this new industry it is very appropriate that such a huge amount of consumers should be afforded the same promotional tools that are available to cinema. I point out that Australia is actually leading the way in a lot of computer games. We have a computer game industry, especially in Brisbane, that is taking on the rest of the world. So, anything we can do to help it, such as treating it the same as cinema, is good.
There is self-regulation of the industry, which improves efficiency and lowers the regulatory burden for distributors. So this bill is a step in the direction of eliminating some of that red tape. I commend the former government, and the current Rudd government, for having taken steps in that direction.
An authorised assessment scheme will be in place for distributors to assess their games prior to classification by the board. Assessors are trained annually in a course approved by the director of the classification board. Distributors are therefore able to assess their computer games for advertising and they must ensure they are advertised with games of the same rating. For example, PG games can only be advertised with PG games or higher. So, if parents and kids are in a shop, they will know that they will only be looking at similar sorts of games. But the safeguard for all Australians ensures that the final classification still lies with the board. I stress that, as it is very important: the Australian government still has the final say. The assessors at the Office of Film and Literature Classification still make the final decision based on what is in the game. There is currently a high level of consumer confidence in the film self-assessment scheme, so there is no reason why this will not work for computer games also.
The classification scheme is a very effective one. All films are classified within 20 days of lodgement with the board. With more than 8,500 films and DVDs, and 800 computer games, reviewed every year this is an incredible workload. One of my brothers works at the Office of Film and Literature Classification and it has been amazing over the years to listen to the stories of what they have to sit through. Unfortunately many of those 8,500 films are pornographic, and it is apparently incredibly mind-numbingly boring to watch porn all day or, even worse, to watch sitcoms all day, going all the way through, or, likewise, to go through all the different levels of computer games to make sure there is nothing inappropriate. Obviously, with young, impressionable minds playing these games or watching these films, it is important that the state plays a role in making sure that the classification is appropriate. Having had a sibling that works in this area, I commend the work of all of those at the Office of Film and Literature Classification.
I am also pleased that this bill will prohibit films that are likely to be classified PG or higher being advertised to an audience for a G film. Basically, if you go along to a G-rated movie you will not be seeing ads for a PG film. Under current measures, films granted advertising exemption that are likely to be classified PG can be advertised together with a G film. This bill ensures that only films likely to be classified G can be advertised to an audience for a G film.
This is particularly important for me as the father of an almost-three-year-old. When we went to see Bee Movie this year, we saw PG ads which contained completely different concepts, and they certainly freaked out my child. I had to calm him down for Bee Movie. The bill means that parents who take their children to G movies can be comfortable knowing that the cinema will not be showing inappropriate advertisements. This is a great relief for parents I know that try to be gatekeepers of what their children see. This bill ensures parents can make informed choices about what their children see at the cinema, both in the ads before the movie and obviously in the movie. It gives parents greater confidence that young children will not be inadvertently exposed to unsuitable material.
This bill strikes a good balance. It will reduce the regulatory burden on industry while ensuring ongoing consumer confidence, so there will still be the stopgaps of making sure that nothing will be classified inappropriately but the bill will also make sure that it is a quick process. It is yet another step in the Rudd government’s approach to getting rid of red tape. I commend the bill to the House.
Jim Turnour supports the Bill
CLASSIFICATION (PUBLICATIONS, FILMS AND COMPUTER GAMES) AMENDMENT
(ASSESSMENTS AND ADVERTISING) BILL 2008: Second Reading
Date 20 March, 2008
Database House Hansard
Speaker Turnour, Jim, MP (Leichhardt, ALP, Government)
Page 84
Proof Yes
Source House
Stage Second Reading
Type Speech
Context Bills
Main Committee Yes
CLASSIFICATION (PUBLICATIONS, FILMS AND COMPUTER GAMES) AMENDMENT (ASSESSMENTS AND ADVERTISING) BILL 2008 Second Reading
Speech Mr TURNOUR (Leichhardt) (10.27 a.m.)—I also rise to support this legislation, because we should be doing all we can to support creative industries like film, television and computer games in Australia, and the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Amendment (Assessments and Advertising) Bill 2008 is part of that effort. The bill amends the Classifications (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 to: replace the prohibition on advertising unclassified films and computer games with a new scheme that will allow advertising subject to conditions to be set out in a new Commonwealth instrument, to which schedule 1 of the bill refers; and amend the classification procedures for films that are compilations of episodes of a television series so that an application for classification of such a film may be accompanied by a report by an authorised assessor. This is in schedule 2 of the bill.
This bill, together with changes being introduced by the state and territory governments, responds to industry concerns about marketing imperatives and will streamline the classification process and reduce the regulatory burden. As the member for Moreton rightly pointed out, we are living in a new age. We are living in a technologically advanced age and there are new technologies coming into play. Families have the opportunity to see things through the computer and also the film industry, which creates tremendous opportunities for growing employment and growing the economy but also means that we need to continue to update the regulatory environment for our film, television and computer games industries.
Bill Shorten supports the Bill
CLASSIFICATION (PUBLICATIONS, FILMS AND COMPUTER
GAMES) AMENDMENT (ASSESSMENTS AND ADVERTISING) BILL 2008: Second Reading
Date 20 March, 2008
Database House Hansard
Speaker Shorten, Bill, MP (Maribyrnong, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities
and Children's Services, ALP, Government)
Page 86
Proof Yes Source House
Stage Second Reading Type Speech
Context Bills Main Committee Yes
CLASSIFICATION (PUBLICATIONS, FILMS AND COMPUTER GAMES) AMENDMENT (ASSESSMENTS AND ADVERTISING) BILL 2008 Second Reading Speech Mr SHORTEN (Maribyrnong—Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services) (10.39 a.m.)—The Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Amendment (Assessments and Advertising) Bill 2008 amends the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995. These amendments will achieve two important policy initiatives. They will reform the rules around advertising unclassified material and they will change the classification procedures for box sets of episodes of television series broadcast in Australia.
Together with the amendments to the state and territory classification enforcement legislation, this bill will replace the prohibition on advertising unclassified films and computer games with a new scheme which will allow advertising, subject to conditions that will be set out in a new Commonwealth instrument.
The reforms to the existing prohibition on advertising unclassified films and computer games will reform the inequitable exceptions applied to cinema release films and will implement an agreement by the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General (Censorship). The censorship ministers’ agreement followed consultation with relevant industry stakeholders and members of the general public. In fact, this consultation included the release of a public discussion paper on the advertising scheme.
The bill will also amend the classification procedures for films which are compilations of episodes of a television series so that an application of such a film will be accompanied by an assessment report that complies with conditions set out in the new Commonwealth instrument.
The bill will include a new requirement that at least one of the episodes in the box set has already been broadcast in Australia. This recognises the reality that not all series that are released for sale are broadcast in full in Australia. It also responds to the practicalities of the marketplace, allowing distributors to obtain a classification while the series is still running on television so that it can be released for sale during or at the end of the broadcast season.
Both of these initiatives are aimed at ensuring that the legitimate producers and distributors of films and box-series television shows can gain rights to the property that they produce. The current system, because of its cumbersome nature, actually prevents legitimate producers and, therefore, all the actors and people involved in these shows, from enjoying the benefits of their work. The current system creates an environment whereby video piracy and other forms of opportunistic behaviour can diminish the value of this important market.
Both of these initiatives are also aimed at limiting the regulatory burden or the cost to industry but still include significant safeguards to maintain the integrity of the classification system. We will seek consistency of advice for consumers and protection of minors from harmful material. While the industry will be encouraged to use self-regulation to allow greater advertising opportunities, the assessors from industry, using either scheme, will have to be both appropriately trained and authorised by a director of the board. The schemes enable the director to impose sanctions for the unacceptable use of schemes, including revoking or suspending an assessor’s status or, in extreme cases, even barring a person from using the scheme for periods of up to three years. So the consequences of self-regulation, if they do not work, are very significant.
The details of the reforms will be contained in legislative instruments rather than in this bill to ensure that those aspects of the National Classification Scheme remain both flexible and responsive.
I believe that the reforms that this bill will achieve are sensible, important and will result in a more streamlined classification system, and I commend the bill to the Committee.
Question agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Ordered that the bill be reported to the House without amendment.
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AMA wants smoking included in consumer warnings.
This is a subject that has been bubbling away for a while now, and is one that we can eventually see some action being taken on. The current consumer warnings are so detailed as it is. After all, even the Christian's managed to get their own 'Supernatural Themes' warning attached to any kids film that contains a witch, or a ghost. However the AMA does seem a little confused about what they actually want. On one hand they want the ‘pervasive smoking’ warning attached to films, and on the other they want it banned in children's films. Presumably this means even MA15+ and R18+ will need the warnings.
Australian Medical Association
Media Release
19/03/2008
AMA Wants Smoking Out of Kids’ Movies
On National Youth Tobacco Free Day, the AMA is calling for a higher classification to be given to films with positive depictions of smoking.
The AMA has written to the Federal Attorney General, Robert McClelland, and to the Classification Board, requesting a classification system that provides clear warnings about the extent and nature of smoking in films.
AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today that health groups had been calling for changes to the classification system for years and it was now time for the regulatory authorities to stop talking and take action.
“We already have clear warnings for coarse language, nudity, and violence – why not smoking, which we know is a serious health risk?” Dr Capolingua said.
“These films are normalising and promoting a habit that will kill half of the children and teenagers who take it up.
“Evidence is increasingly showing that any depictions of smoking can have an influence on younger viewers and they rarely depict the true consequences of smoking.
“No parent wants their child to smoke, but smoking is pervasive in films classified as appropriate for children and young teens.”
Dr Capolingua said the long life of movies through TV repeats and DVD distribution meant that smoking classifications and warnings can have an impact outside cinemas.
“If films with positive or pervasive smoking can’t be viewed by children and young teens, filmmakers will hopefully think twice before they include smoking in their films,” Dr Capolingua said.
“Smoking is not a necessary part of most films, and the film industry doesn’t need to act like a de facto affiliate of the tobacco industry.”
Studies from Australia and overseas have shown that on-screen smoking influences children’s attitudes and behaviour to the extent that it can increase a child’s chance of becoming a smoker later in life.
A Cancer Council of New South Wales listing of the top box office films in Australia in late February to early March of this year revealed 70 per cent of the films contained depictions of smoking. The ‘smoking’ films included 75 per cent of the most popular PG-rated films.
According to research by the American Lung Association, more than two-thirds of the 50 top US box office films of 2004-05 classified for children's viewing depicted smoking – some with as many as 14 depictions of smoking an hour.
According to the Australian Film Commission, 85 per cent of Australians aged 14 to 24 went to the cinema in 2006, seeing an average of nine films a year.
The AMA is calling for a range of strategies to tackle smoking in films including:
films that are seen by young viewers should not depict smoking, except where the negative consequences of smoking are depicted or where it is portrayed in an historical context,
films that depict smoking should attract an appropriate descriptor such as ‘pervasive smoking’,
screening anti-smoking announcements before films that depict smoking,
and guidelines that ensure public funds are not used to support Australian films that glamorise or promote smoking.
Update 23rd March 2008
Refused-Classification.com
Australian Censorship News
7th March 2008
THE EROTIC FILMS OF PETER DE ROME: Banned from MQFF
The 2008 Melbourne Queer Film Festival has been forced to drop THE EROTIC FILMS OF PETER DE ROME from their schedule. The follows the refusal of the censors to grant it a film festival exemption.
Why in Australia in 2008 are Film Festivals still subject to censorship?
Back in September 2007 the Melbourne Underground Film Festival was forced to drop seven titles
60 Second Relief (2007)
70K (2006)
Ashley & Kisha: Finding the Right Fit (2007)
The Farmer’s Daughter (1976)
The Schoolgirls' Report (1970)
Sex Wish (1976)
Whore (2007)
While the 2004 Melbourne Underground Film Festival dropped.
GUINEA PIG: DEVILS EXPERIMENT (1985)
GUINEA PIG: FLOWERS OF FLESH AND BLOOD (1985)
THE TOOLBOX MURDERS (1978)
WIFE TO BE SACRIFICED (1974)
The most famous recent case was the 2003 Sydney Film Festival being denied permission to screen KEN PARK. Previous to that the 1995 Mardi Gras Film Festival had to replace IN A GLASS CAGE following interference from the censors. All titles are covered in more depth in the database.
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David Stratton: Fighting Censorship
We're yet to take a look at David Stratton's just released I PEED ON FELLINI, but are confident that it will be an essential purchase to anyone who is interested in the history of Australian film censorship. During the 60's and 70's Stratton was heavily involved in the fight to liberalise the censorship laws in this country and to get exemptions for film festivals. It's kind of ironic to be talking about this in a week that has seen the censors prevent the Melbourne Queer Film Festival from screening THE EROTIC FILMS OF PETER DE ROME.
I PEED ON FELLINI, the long-awaited memoir from legendary film critic David Stratton, is an honest, funny and thoroughly entertaining journey through a remarkable life in film.
Passionate since boyhood about the cinema, Stratton has reviewed thousands of movies, directed and adjudicated at international film festivals, and lectured in film history at the University of Sydney. His best-known role, however, has been as the co-host, with Margaret Pomeranz, of The Movie Show on SBS and -- more recently -- At the Movies on the ABC. Since 1986 the duo has entertained Australia with their honest and often controversial reviews and interviews; for many, they are the most influential film critics in the country.
A recipient of both the Longford and Chauvel Awards for his contribution to the Australian film industry, Stratton's hallmarks are his incredible depth of cinematic knowledge, his passionate opposition to censorship and his lifelong commitment to quality film. In this outstanding memoir, he tells his story with candour and verve.
Stratton reveals wee problem. Brisbane Times 03.03.08
In his memoirs he remembers his battle with Australian censorship laws in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Stratton says it was hugely rewarding to play a part in the battle against censorship of foreign films imported to the country at a time when brief nudity or even the word "bloody" were grounds for cutting or even banning a film.
"I went into it hugely naively," he says.
"I think we achieved a lot, and I'm sure that eventually, sooner or later, there would have been censorship reform ... but for a while we were ahead of England because we had new reform."
Profile: David Stratton SMH 05.03.08
....Stratton was also drawn to the Sydney Film Festival, working as a volunteer and, by the end of 1964, being elected to the board. He began agitating for changes to Australia's draconian film censorship laws.
In England, film societies were exempt from censorship laws but in Australia the Sydney Film Festival was subject to the same stringent rules as films shown to the general public. Quite a few movies were banned and about one in three was cut.
"The public were very hard done by, seeing mutilated films," Stratton says. He pushed through a motion that the film festival would agitate for an R classification to be introduced and, if a film was cut, would announce what had been removed.
The festival director objected to the motion and quit in protest, thus handing Stratton the top job, aged 26, just as he was about to return to England. "I have a feeling that today people of that age wouldn't be allowed near a cultural festival," he says. Stratton remained the director for 18 years, until 1983. "Youthful enthusiasm can be a pretty potent thing."
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Michael Atkinson on R18+ Games
The South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson was yesterday shouted down in parliament whilst outlining his opposition to R18+ games. With the Coalition out of power federally, he should be the final stumbling block. However, in his speech he claims:
"I have held for six years and other attorneys-general around Australia may now be coming to the same view"
Games ratings speech cut off in parliament. news.com.au 06.03.08
SOUTH Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson was cut off in State Parliament today while arguing against an R18+ classification for games. The Attorney-General was presenting a speech to the South Australian Parliament that clarified his stance against the rating.
Mr Atkinson is the most vocal opponent to a R18+ classification for games, which cannot be introduced without the agreement of all state and Commonwealth attorneys-general.
During the speech, Mr Atkinson began to describe five games that had been banned in Australia. As he was describing drug use in the game Narc, he was cut off by raucous interjections and returned to his seat.
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VANILLA SERIES: SPOTLIGHT: The Cuts.
Back in May 2006 the Classification Board banned the hentai called SPOTLIGHT. This resulted in Siren censoring it twice before it was passed in April 2007 with an R18+ (High Level Animated Sex Scenes) rating. Thanks to Grant for sending in this review of the DVD which was released as part of Siren's Hentai Collection.
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HOLY SMOKE should have been censored for an M-rating.
Jane Campion's 1999 feature HOLY SMOKE has been found by the ACMA to have breached the M-rating guidelines when it was screened on TV at midday in Queensland. It was originally rated MA15+ (‘Medium level sex scene, Adult themes) by the Classification Board back in 1999.
Australian Government
Australian Communication and Media Authority
Media Release
5 March 2008
QTQ Brisbane incorrectly classified Holy Smoke for broadcast in M classification time zone
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has found that Queensland Television Ltd, the licensee of Brisbane commercial television service QTQ, breached the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice (the code) by failing to modify the film Holy Smoke, to ensure its suitability to be broadcast in an M time zone.
The finding results from a complaint that the film, classified M, contained sexual material that exceeded the M classification. The guidelines for M-classified films, specified in the code, state that the impact of such films must be no higher than moderate. They require that sexual activity be discreetly implied, if justified by context.
ACMA found that intimate sexual activity depicted in the film was not discreetly implied.
The licensee acknowledged that the film included a scene that did not meet the M guidelines, due to an error in editing and compiling the program for broadcast. However, ACMA considers that the obligation to edit material to ensure its suitability for broadcast at a particular time zone is a fundamental requirement of the code. ACMA also considers that, in today’s highly sophisticated technological environment for program editing and compilation, commercial television networks and licensees can be reasonably expected to have in place effective procedures aimed at ensuring such mistakes do not occur, and that all material is broadcast in accordance with the code.
QTQ advised ACMA that the Nine Network has put procedures in place to ensure that such an error can not be repeated. These procedures include:
Further restricting access to master tapes so that once a program is edited for broadcast, a master tape may only be released again with the written authority of the Manager of Programming;
Appropriate re-labelling of tapes to take into account the above change in practice;
Broadening of the sign-off procedure to include a requirement that all relevant documents be approved by editors once work is undertaken; and
Training for all staff involved in editing of program matter in relation to the new procedures.
Investigation Report 1890 is available on ACMA’s website.
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The complaint
On the 11 September 2007, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) received a written complaint concerning the M-classified film Holy Smoke broadcast by Queensland Television Ltd, the licensee of commercial broadcasting service QTQ, at approximately 12.00pm on 23 July 2007.
The complainant alleged that the program contained sex scenes, nudity and coarse language that were inappropriate for the M classification. The complainant also expressed concern over a scene in which a woman is depicted urinating.
Not satisfied with the written response provided by the licensee, the complainant forwarded the matter to ACMA for investigation.
The program
The film Holy Smoke tells the story of a family trying to remove their daughter, Ruth, from an Indian cult with the help of a ‘cult exiter’, PJ, and the subsequent relationship that develops between Ruth and PJ.
The film was classified M for television broadcast and was accompanied by visual and verbal consumer advice that it contained “adult themes, sex scenes, some coarse language and some violence”.
The film contains the following scenes of sex and nudity (all time references are to the time code on the DVD copy supplied by the licensee):
• A scene at 58.13 minutes shows Ruth and PJ engaging in simulated sexual intercourse. A male is shown lying between a female’s legs, thrusting vigorously. Both characters appear to be nude, though most of the female is obscured by the male. The total length of this scene is approximately 20 seconds.
• A scene at 1.06.48 hours depicts Ruth positioning herself so that her crotch is at the same level as the PJ’s face. The camera pans from Ruth’s legs to her face. The audio track implies that cunnilingus is occurring below screen.
• A scene at 55.42 minutes, Ruth is depicted in a wide shot, naked and facing the camera. The camera focuses on Ruth’s face then pans down to just above her crotch. The audio track indicates that Ruth is urinating. Subsequently, she is shown walking toward the camera with liquid running down her legs. The scene is set at night and is dimly lit.
It is noted that the film was classified MA 15+ by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) on 16 September 1999 with the consumer advice of ‘Medium level sex scene, Adult themes’.
Update 7th March 2008
Refused-Classification.com
Australian Censorship News
2nd March 2008
Games R18+: False Dawn?
We started the week with the news that an R18+ for games was a real possibility. By mid-week, it looked like the South Australian Attorney General had killed the idea.
R-rated games may be on shelves soon SMH 25.02.08
.....a spokeswoman for the Minister for Home Affairs, Bob Debus, confirmed the issue of "whether or not to allow an R18+ classification" for games would be discussed by censorship ministers at the next Standing Committee of attorneys-general (SCAG) meeting on March 28. It will be the first time the issue is discussed since November 2005.
Claire Bowdler, spokeswoman for the Classification Board, said 18 games had been banned since 2001. Eight of the games had their bans lifted after they were modified and resubmitted.
Bond University associate professor Jeffrey Brand, who authored the research, said Australia was the "only developed democracy" that did not have an adult classification for games.
He said the lack of an R18+ rating meant some games deserving of adult classification were being let through by the Classification Board as MA15+. And Australians who wanted to obtain banned games could easily source them from the internet or overseas, he said.
"These games are entering the marketplace despite the classification restriction, and so very often parents, who in some cases are the least savvy in the household about games, are unaware that this adult content exists," Dr Brand said.
Ron Curry, CEO of the IEAA, said it would be up to states and territories and games retailers to ensure those under 18 could not purchase R18+ games. He said he would "absolutely support" compulsory ID checks by stores.
Attorney-general opposes R rating for games. news.com.au 27.02.08
.... a spokesperson for Michael Atkinson, the South Australian Attorney-General, has confirmed that he will maintain his long-running opposition to the proposed system.
"The Attorney-General remains very firmly opposed to introducing an R rating for computer games in Australia," the spokesperson said.
Minister Atkinson would not consider an 18+ rating even if there were measures to protect children from being exposed to adult content, the spokesperson said.
"He doubts whether any safeguards could be put in place to deter young people, who after all (are) the most computer literate and savvy in our society, from being able to access material."
R rating for games dismissed as 'porn'. news.com.au 29.02.08
Ron Curry, chief executive of the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia, said an R18+ rating could still be introduced into federal legislation.
South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson has reaffirmed his opposition to an R rating, which would prevent the full consensus required for legislative change.
However, Mr Curry said a classification can still be banned in one state even if it is permitted in Australia.
"In Queensland, they don't allow X-rated publications," he said
"Although it is legal federally."
"South Australia could not allow the sale of R-rated games within the state while it is allowed federally."
Mr Curry does not expect attorney-general Atkinson to change his stance.
"I can't see anything that's going to change the mind of the South Australian attorney-general," Mr Curry said.
"We're disappointed that he didn't wait for the SCAG meeting to find out what the content of the discussion was."
"We're disappointed that one state can interfere with what the majority may decide."
"So long as the current system is in place – that all attorneys-general must agree – then we've come to a standstill."
A spokesperson for attorney-general Atkinson confirmed he will not consider an alternative solution to change federal legislation.
"He is of the view that he is no longer a lone voice among Australia's attorneys-general in opposing this view," the spokesperson said.
"He will vigorously resist any attempts to see the classification changed to allow what he views as computer-generated pornography and depictions of extreme violence."
Violent games okayed but ban remains for players aged under 18. news.com.au 02.03.08
QUEENSLAND will support moves to allow violent, bloody and R18+ computer games on to the market - but only if they can be kept away from children.
Attorney-General Kerry Shine, acknowledging that anyone could download these games off the internet or buy them overseas, said he would be hesitant to amend laws.
"I'd have to be really guaranteed that children, in particular, are protected," Mr Shine said.
Mr Shine said that from a "philosophical point of view" he believed adults should be allowed access to any games.
He said his only concern was that as the majority of people who played the games were children, they were "more likely to either indirectly or directly come into the hands of children".
Mr Shine said if governments could regulate which games could be bought over the counter, then the attorneys would consider a change to the classification code.
Letters of support should be directed to your State Attorney-General, and the new Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland.
Attorney-General Robert McClelland
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Telephone: (02) 6277 7300
Fax: (02) 6273 4102
R.McClelland.MP@aph.gov.au
Your State Attorney-General can be found here.
After you have written to your Attorney-General, put your name to this new petition calling for an R18+ rating.
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OBSCENE MACHINES: Exceeded MA15+.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority have just released their report into the SBS screening of the documentary OBSCENE MACHINES. It found that one scene pushed the program out of the MA15+ rating. R18+ is not allowed on SBS, ABC, C7, C9, and C10. It is restricted to so-called narrow cast channels on pay-TV. This means the uncut program is effectively banned from TV screening in Australia, unless World Movies would like to pick it up!
Will this mean that SBS will be more cautious? We would argue that they may have been treading carefully for a while now. Over the past few years they have been screening sex themed documentaries on Friday nights at 10pm. These have included a couple of episodes of the UK C4 series THE DARK SIDE OF PORN, specifically DEBBIE DOES DALLAS UNCOVERED and HUNTING EMMANUELLE. Unfortunately we've been denied the rest of the series that includes, PORN SHUTDOWN, DEATH OF A PORN STAR, AMATEUR PORN, ME AND MY SLAVES, DOES SNUFF EXIST, IN SEARCH OF ANIMAL FARM, and DIARY OF A PORN VIRGIN. All would have no doubt rated well, but have not been screened.
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The Porn Report
Out now from Melbourne University Press is THE PORN REPORT, a study into Australian's attitude to pornography.
Bare facts about porn. The Australian 22.02.08
Lumby, a long-time writer on the gender issues surrounding pornography, says the message from the survey is that "porn users are basically a very large subset of the mainstream population". She adds: "Younger women are becoming much more open to visual material and some are now producing their own amateur porn and putting it up on the web, which is something of a new trend." Although there are male porn users with socially regressive attitudes to women, Lumby says it is no more or less common than across the broader community.
The authors also looked for a possible correlation between the consumption of pornography and negative attitudes towards women. Asking a series of questions such as "Should women get equal pay for equal work?" and "Would I mind working for a female boss?", they pitted the results against the amount of pornography consumed.
"Statistically speaking, watching more porn doesn't correlate with worse attitudes towards women," according to The Porn Report.
At the coalface, Robbie Barnes, ACT branch manager for Calvista, a subsidiary of Adultshop.com, insists women are becoming more interested in the genre: "When I first started in the industry 20 years ago, there was the 'take it out in a brown paper bag' brigade, blokes coming in and buying hardcore material. Now you see so many more couples coming in, with the women telling the guys what they want to see. And it's a pretty pure market, the producers will go where the money is, and they've reacted to what people want. What is available now is a reflection of that, much more couples-based stuff."
The Porn Report Alan McKee, Kath Albury & Catharine Lumby
About this Title True or false?
o Most porn users are uneducated, lonely and sad old men.
o All porn is violent. o Pornography turns people into rapists and/or paedophiles.
o Pornography uniformly portrays women as passive objects of men's sexual urges.
The Porn Report debunks these and many other misconceptions about porn consumers, producers and the industry at large.
In this first book-length account on pornography in Australia, Alan McKee, Kath Albury and Catharine Lumby present a comprehensive never-before-seen picture of the adult-content industries and its consumers.
If you've ever wondered what's in Australia's bestselling 50 porn videos and DVDs; what's behind amateur or do-it-yourself porn; and how porn is produced and distributed, The Porn Report will not only answer your questions, but also surprise you.
The authors also discuss feminist responses to pornography and provide important advice to parents on how they can protect their children from cyberstalkers and from viewing online porn.
If pornography arouses, repels or simply piques your curiosity, you cannot afford to miss The Porn Report.
About the Author
Associate Professor Alan McKee is in the Film and Television Department at Queensland University of Technology and is the author of The Public Sphere; Australian Television; The Indigenous Public Sphere; Textual Analysis; and Beautiful Things in Popular Culture. He has worked on the television shows Big Brother, The Einstein Factor, A Current Affair, Today Tonight and The Sideshow, as well as on a number of community television programs.
Dr Kath Albury is an ARC Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for Social Research in Journalism and Communication at the University of New South Wales. She is a member of the Health Promotion Sub-committee, New South Wales Health Ministerial Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS and STIs. Her first book, Yes Means Yes: Getting Explicit about Heterosex, was published in 2002.
Professor Catharine Lumby is the Director of the Centre for Social Research in Journalism and Communication at the University of New South Wales and also works for Rape Crisis New South Wales. She is the author of five books including Gotcha: Life in a Tabloid World and Bad Girls: The Media, Sex and Feminism in the 1990s.
Adultshop.com comments on The Porn Report
Adultshop.com
REPORTS ON PORN CONSUMPTION TO STEER CLASSIFICATION?
MEDIA RELEASE
Australians adults have the right to read, hear and see what they want. According to the new book The Porn Report, what they want is pornography!
The Porn Report, released this month by Melbourne University Press, is a comprehensive study of Australian attitudes toward pornography. A government funded project, it is authored by Associate Professor Catharine Lumby, Associate Professor Alan McKee and Doctor Katherine Albury. The book examines Australian adults’ attitudes towards pornography and explores how it is used and consumed in Australia. The findings show that pornography is regularly consumed in Australia. It shows that whilst the majority of users are male, there is an emerging pornography consumer who is female, in her mid thirties, living in suburbia, in a monogamous heterosexual relationship, employed and earning an above-average income.
AdultShop.com welcomes and embraces The Porn Report as an impartial report demonstrating what the company has always believed – that the majority of Australian adults are not offended by explicit sex in films. AdultShop.com also welcomes the public release of The Porn Report because it poses a challenge to the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) to reflect these current community standards when making classification decisions.
For a film to be classified X18+ it must contain real depictions of actual sexual activity in a way that it is likely to cause offence to the reasonable adult. If the real depictions of actual sexual activity within a film do not cause offence to the reasonable adult, then the film must be classified R18+.
The law requires the OFLC to apply current community standards when making classification decisions. How then, does the OFLC determine what will cause offence to the reasonable Australian adult? How does the OFLC determine current community standards with respect to explicit sex in films? It should conduct regular research, however it doesn’t! The fact is, the OFLC believes that the personal and subjective views of its seventeen Classification Board (CB) members and seven Classification Review Board (CRB) members are representative of the country’s community standards.
At exactly what point can the personal opinions of a seventeen person board and then seven person board possibly be considered representative of the views of the entire Australian adult population? Never!
With the exception of one question posed by Frank Small and Associates in research commissioned by the OFLC in 1992, the OFLC has not conducted research to determine community standards with respect to explicit erotic films. That one question posed in 1992 however, revealed that a majority of Australian adults were not offended by explicit sex in films.
Despit