Page 1263 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 24 April 1990
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It is clear that a diverse range of views is held in the community on the acceptability of X-rated videos. Unlike the figures quoted by Mr Stefaniak, statistics show that the majority of ACT residents do not want X-rated videos banned. The views of those who hope to have the videos banned are based, I believe, on ignorance of what is shown in an X-rated film and what the X classification really means.
I will repeat, for the benefit of people who do not seem to understand: X-rated material includes explicit depictions of sexual acts involving consenting adults but does not include any depictions suggesting coercion or non-consent of any kind. I think that is a point that needs to be borne in mind. Many people, naturally, are fired up when they are asked what they think of movies which contain scenes of violence, sadism or masochism. Naturally, most people would think, "Oh, I don't like the sound of that at all". That is not what X-rated films are. Films such as those that I have described are not rated; they are not classified.
Other people who oppose X-rated videos are simply part of an extremist minority who would have us believe that if they make enough noise and send enough letters they speak for the moral majority. I agree with the point made by Mr Moore in his speech tonight. I do not regard them as the majority at all; I regard them as a mere minority - a true minority.
Censorship has been with us ever since one group has been able to enforce its views on another group. However, it is not an effective measure when there is a large demand for the thing which is banned. I think in other debates of this nature I have heard Mr Moore make the point time and time again that one thing that is really wrong with censorship is that it does not work. It simply does not work. I think that is definitely evidenced in the case of X-rated videos by the enormous demand for them in the States where they are supposedly banned, and I will come to that point later.
I firmly believe that, given the regulated industry that we now have in the ACT, if we were to ban the sale and distribution of X-rated videos in the ACT we would drive the industry underground, leaving it to be controlled by criminal elements. It is human nature that when you are attempting to hire or buy or do something illegal you think that if you are going to be hanged for a lamb you may as well be hanged for a sheep.
The movies to which we are all objecting - those involving child pornography, bestiality, violence, et cetera - would proliferate if we ban X-rated films. The types of films whose distribution we are trying to prevent are the ones that would become prevalent. People would say, "Well, if I am going to be arrested for distribution of material which may be X-rated, why worry? I may as well distribute the
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