‘You Won’t Like Magazines,’ Tribunal Told (Press, 14 September 1987)

On 14 September 1987, the Indecent Publications Tribunal in Wellington addressed the case of a man who imported magazines focused on bondage, rubber fetishism, and transvestism. The man, who has not been named, asserted that his purchase of "Centurians Latex Annual," Volume 1, and "TV Dream Fantasies, Collections 1 and 2" from the United States was solely for his personal interest. He described the acquisition as a "one-off experiment" and expressed regret that the tribunal members had to view the magazines, stating that he bought them for private use and that they were confiscated by the Customs Department. His lawyer, Mr Michael Wotherspoon, indicated that the tribunal had previously ruled that similar bondage magazines could potentially incite dangerous behaviour among younger individuals. He described the collections as anthologies focused on themes of transvestism, bondage, and female domination, asserting they lacked literary merit and primarily appealed to prurient interests. The tribunal did not reach a decision on the magazines at that time. The tribunal also reviewed additional publications, including "Hung Stud," which depicts a 16-year-old boy's exploration of physical intimacy that culminates in a graphic scene of gang rape. They considered "Sex Stars' Favourite Positions," a magazine featuring pornographic film actors in sexual scenarios, along with "In Touch for Men, No. 126," a publication geared towards male homosexuals that includes various articles and visuals. Other materials reviewed included "Derriere No. 1," concentrating on corporal punishment themes, and "Drummer," a homosexual magazine emphasising bondage and sadomasochism. Mr Wotherspoon noted that customs officials had begun struggling with the assessment of publications related to male homosexuality following the enactment of the Homosexual Law Reform Act. Since the law's passage, the tribunal had not previously established clear guidelines on what would be permissible under the new legal framework, leading to challenges in interpretation. Consequently, many explicit male homosexual magazines had been referred to the tribunal, with indications that most would likely be restricted for those aged 16 and over. Judge Kearney, the tribunal's chairman, remarked on the necessity of establishing precedents and clearer guidelines based on the decisions surrounding the publications under consideration. The tribunal reserved judgment on all the materials discussed during this session.

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