Videos Sicken, Appal Society (Press, 3 June 1986)

On 3 June 1986, Sir John Kennedy-Good, the president of the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards, expressed strong concerns about the state of video censorship in New Zealand, particularly regarding explicit content that he believed to be morally damaging. During a special screening with members of the society, including Miss Patricia Bartlett, he encountered what he described as videos exhibiting "moral depravity to rival Sodom and Gomorrah." He highlighted "Hot Rackets," a video that had been approved by the Chief Film Censor, Mr Arthur Everard, as particularly shocking, characterising it as being "in the depths of depravity." Sir John took issue with Mr Everard's assertion that the standard of videos reflected the moral standards of society at large, arguing instead that societal standards are significantly higher than what is portrayed. Drawing on his experiences in tough working environments, he insisted that as a person with diverse life experiences, he was no naive observer of society’s moral fabric. He voiced alarm that such inappropriate video material could easily reach young children without adequate controls in place. To tackle this issue, Sir John proposed the establishment of a dedicated board comprising five individuals to oversee video censorship and ratings. He suggested that the board might include a lawyer, a police representative, and a housewife or mother, emphasizing the need for a structured and responsible approach to managing video content. He dismissed the video industry's self-rating proposal as insufficient, comparing it to a situation where a mayor votes on issues in which he stands to gain financially. In his view, video censorship was crucial for safeguarding societal morals and standards, describing it as a positive measure aimed at protecting the community rather than a negative constraint. He warned of a societal “new menace” posed by the prevalence of inappropriate videos and the peer pressure faced by children to engage with such content. Sir John’s statements reflect a growing concern over media content and the responsibility of society to protect its younger members from perceived moral corruptions inherent in certain video materials.

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