Ministers Attacked About Paperbacks (Press, 26 August 1967)

On 25 August 1967, a controversy erupted in the New Zealand Parliament regarding the importation of 7990 paperback books, many of which were deemed pornographic. The Labour Opposition accused three Cabinet Ministers — the Minister of Justice, Mr Hanan; the Minister of Customs, Mr Shelton; and the Minister of Police, Mr Allen — of allowing these books to enter the country without consultation with the Indecent Publications Tribunal. According to Mr C. J. Moyle, a Labour MP, only 10 out of approximately 8000 imported books had been referred to the tribunal since March 1964, which he asserted indicated a failure of the Government to fulfil its responsibilities. Moyle claimed that the Government had improperly assumed rights in criticising the tribunal and suggested that their actions represented a dangerous encroachment on the tribunal's established functions. He argued that the true intent of Parliament was to have the tribunal operate free from bias, rather than conservative or liberal scrutiny. Moyle also indicated that it was the responsibility of the Police, Customs, and the Justice Department to refer questionable books to the tribunal, challenging the ministers on their reluctance to do so. In response, Mr Hanan defended the Government, arguing that the tribunal had cleared books that some citizens found objectionable. He cited an example of a book that was rejected by a local mayor after the tribunal approved it, asserting that it demonstrated the public's concern regarding the tribunal's standards. Dr. A. M. Finlay from the Labour Party labelled the debate an "unseemly and tasteless wrangle," shifting the onus back to the Government for any shortcomings of the tribunal, which he claimed performed its duties with recognition. Mr Allen presented evidence of allegedly inappropriate publications that had been cleared by the tribunal, implying that the tribunal had set a standard lower than what was expected by Parliament. He invited Labour members to review these books, maintaining that the police were not a repressive authority and that public feedback had led to actions regarding specific publications. The controversy further escalated as members of both sides exchanged accusations. Critics within the Labour Party pointed to the Ministers' failures to address the presence of controversial publications in public view, with Mrs E. E. McMillan directly confronting Mr Shelton about the accessibility of these books to children and teenagers. Meanwhile, National MP Sir Leslie Munro voiced his discontent, asserting that the tribunal upheld individuals' rights to access controversial literature despite public discomfort. Ultimately, when questioned about the possibility of amending the Indecent Publications Act, Mr Hanan confirmed there would be no intention to do so. This controversy underlined the ongoing tension between government oversight, public morality, and the independence of the Indecent Publications Tribunal in managing the balance between censorship and free expression in New Zealand during this period.

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