Censor Shrugs Off Criticism (Press, 28 October 1987)

On 28 October 1987, the chief film censor in New Zealand, Mr Arthur Everard, responded to criticism from High Court Judge Mr Justice McGechan regarding the regulation of sex films. The judge challenged the censor’s viewpoint, stating that the assumption that pure sex "can never be injurious to the public good" was misguided. In a recent court case, the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards, which had brought the action against Everard, argued that showing films with sexual content could pose risks, particularly in relation to the spread of AIDS. Justice McGechan supported this perspective, asserting that the potential dangers of AIDS should be considered when evaluating whether sex films might harm the public. However, Mr Everard maintained that evidence indicated non-violent sex films, which do not feature themes of rape, do not constitute a threat to public welfare. He noted that the risk of sexually transmitted diseases has always existed—highlighting that adults over the age of 18 should be aware of such risks, including those associated with AIDS and syphilis. One of the films involved in the controversy was titled "Inches," which featured homosexual themes. Everard defended the presence of sexual content in films, arguing that instances of implied or explicit sexuality have been part of cinema for a long time, and many such films do not lead to harmful outcomes. The debate surrounding the regulation of sex films remains contentious, with health concerns like AIDS being a focal point for criticism from certain advocacy groups.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand