‘penthouse’ Campaigner And ‘positive... (Press, 28 August 1980)

Dail Jones, the National Member of Parliament for Helensville, has emerged as a prominent figure in the campaign to ban "Penthouse" magazine in New Zealand. His motivations for this crusade stem from a variety of personal and professional experiences, including his upbringing as a child of a solo mother, his career as a lawyer, and his education in church schools. Jones acknowledges that these factors have shaped his understanding of family values, respect for the law, and societal responsibilities. Having grown up witnessing the impact of a broken marriage, Jones emphasises the significance of a united home. In his legal practice, he noted that marital breakdowns were often the quickest path to financial trouble, reinforcing his belief in the need for stable family structures. His education in church schools imparted a Biblical perspective on morality, further influencing his views on social conduct and responsibility. Jones criticises "Penthouse" for promoting negative values that he believes undermine societal norms and family life. He identifies the magazine as a "negative factor" that degrades women and detracts from positive virtues necessary for a prosperous community. His campaign gained traction after he was encouraged to substantiate his advocacy for family values during a Parliamentary speech, which led him to explore the harmful effects of pornography more deeply. Despite the political implications of his campaign, Jones insists it transcends party lines, garnering support from various political affiliations including National, Labour, and Social Credit. He is aware of potential criticism regarding the lack of hard data connecting pornography to societal issues like sexual violence and crime. Nonetheless, he points to research from the Psychology Department of Flinders University in Australia suggesting a correlation between the availability of hard pornography and higher rates of rape in those societies. In response to critics, Jones argues that while direct causal connections may not be readily available, the overall trends illustrate a concerning relationship between pornographic material and social disintegration. His outreach has received a substantial amount of correspondence, with approximately 80% of the 800 letters sent to him applauding his stance, while the remaining 20% represent a mix of supporters of personal freedom and "Penthouse" subscribers. As he contemplates the political ramifications of his activism, Jones indicates a willingness to prioritise essential voter concerns closer to the 1981 election, although he remains resolute in his mission against the magazine. His campaign is positioned as an effort to advocate for positive social standards and family integrity in New Zealand society.

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