Page 2736 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 21 November 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
budget statement. She stated that a separate women's budget statement would be part of the 1989-90 budget papers and would provide a foundation for the progressive development of performance indicators to enable public program managers to properly assess the impact of their programs on women and girls in the community.
Mr Speaker, the impact of X-rated videos on women and girls in the community might be a lot more than the Chief Minister bargained for. Research on battered women and consumption of pornography by their partners, in a study by Canadian psychologist James Check and others, reveals a higher incidence of assault in this group than among non-pornographic users. Mr Speaker, I table a two-page extract of a summary of the findings of those people.
Of course, Chief Minister, you might intend to use the revenue raised to fund more women's refuges. But, if so, you are approaching the existing and potential problem from quite a different direction from that of many of your sisters. As evidence given during the Senate debate of 2 March 1989 on the Regulation of Video Material Bill made clear, significant women's organisations, rather than supporting the taxing of X-rated videos, want them banned altogether. These groups include the Catholic Women's League, the Country Women's Association and the Anglican Church Mothers Union.
Some members, of course, may find opposition to X-rated videos from such bodies very predictable. But how about the Society of Women Writers of Australia, the Australian Federation of Business and Professional Women or the National Association of Community-based Children's Services? How about the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, whose national secretary-treasurer sent a letter late last year to all Federal parliamentarians on this subject? Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table that letter also.
Such multipartisan support simply cannot be ignored. If the Government believes that such opposition is perhaps a little remote from the local Canberra scene, or a little removed from the topic itself, let me add two more proponents for the banning of X-rated videos. I refer to the National Status of Women Committee and the Women's Electoral Lobby ACT Incorporated. WEL's letter reads, in part:
WEL is totally opposed to any portrayal of women that exploits or degrades them in any way, or any portrayal of women that reinforces the unequal power relationships that exist in society.
WEL ACT endorses the intent of your Bill to ban X-rated videos in the ACT. We believe that it is inappropriate for the ACT to continue to distribute X-rated videos in the face of the contrary decisions of the Attorneys-General in all States.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .