Tribunal Bans 19 Indecent Novels (Press, 8 September 1987)

On 8 September 1987, the Indecent Publications Tribunal in New Zealand announced the ban of 19 paperback novels due to their dishonest depictions of sexual activity and lack of substantive plots. This decision followed the seizure of the books by the Customs Department in Dunedin a year prior. Judge Richard Kearney, the tribunal's chairman, remarked that these novels are part of a troubling trend of increasingly frequent imports with many being poorly produced, using substandard paper and binding, and often featuring inadequate proofreading. The tribunal found that the major characteristic of these publications was their repetitive and explicit presentation of sexual acts, often described in graphic detail. The narratives were deemed to be connected only by the flimsiest of plots, and the literary quality of the works was overwhelmingly poor, with the tribunal concluding that the books lacked both artistic and social merit. Judge Kearney pointed to a prevailing "dishonesty of purpose" in these publications, which posed a significant potential for corruption. The banned titles included works such as "Nicole in Flight," "Back Street Sex," "Diana’s Debut," and "Suburban Souls," among others. Notably, the tribunal also identified several magazines within the same shipment that were ruled to be unconditionally indecent. These included "Penthouse Variations for Liberated Lovers," "Girls of Penthouse," and "New Direction." "Penthouse Letters No. 4" was classified as indecent for those under 18, alongside "Genisis Letters Winter 1984" and "The Bawdy Beautiful," the latter of which was described as a collection of coarse, often crude verse. Judge Kearney expressed skepticism regarding any claims of literary or artistic value for the publications, stating that evidence of crude and disgusting content was insufficient on its own to meet the legal definition of indecency. However, the tribunal determined that all featured publications contained photographic depictions of sexual acts, deemed indecent under the tribunal's criteria.

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