Video Porn Ban Expected (Press, 15 September 1981)

On 15 September 1981, the New Zealand Government announced plans to potentially ban video cassettes deemed indecent under the Indecent Publications Act. This decision came in response to a statement made by Miss Patricia Bartlett, the national secretary of the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards. According to a joint statement from the Minister of Customs, Mr Templeton, and the Minister of Justice, Mr McLay, there is an ongoing legal consideration regarding whether video cassettes fall under the definition of "document" as specified in the Act. The Ministers indicated that officials from the Justice Department believe video cassettes could indeed be classified as "documents," which would extend the provisions of the 1963 Act to include these cassettes. This classification means that if video cassettes are ruled as documents, they could be subject to the same legal scrutiny and potential bans as other forms of media considered indecent. The matter is currently before the courts, and the Government anticipates that a ruling on this issue will be provided in the near future, countering Miss Bartlett’s suggestion that the process would be prolonged. The outcome of this ruling is expected to have significant implications for the regulation of video cassettes in New Zealand, particularly those containing content that may be viewed as inappropriate or indecent.

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