Page 3446 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 18 September 1991
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What of the will of the people in this matter? Tens of thousands of letters, phone calls and faxes calling for a ban on X-rated videos have been received by both local and Federal politicians. In ACT surveys my party has done, the majority responding support the ban and are particularly supportive of preventing the ACT from being used to violate State laws. Our polls, unlike Gary Morgan gallup polls, paid for by the pornographers, did not ask biased questions and did not present false, as well as educative, data. I seek leave to table strictly confidential questions from Gary Morgan gallup polls.
MR SPEAKER: Is leave granted?
Mrs Nolan: No; I want to see it.
MR STEVENSON: Let us look at the organised crime control of X-rated videos in Australia. For over 10 years royal commissions and other inquiries by Federal and State authorities have identified connections between the video porn industry and organised crime, both in Australia and overseas. In three separate statements, and with the tabling of some two dozen documents in this Assembly, I have shown that the X-rated video industry is controlled by criminals.
In two of these speeches in the ACT Assembly I named Gerald Gold as being a leading organised crime figure. Since then, Mr Gold has written a series of letters and an affidavit to MLAs, claiming that he has done no wrong. In contradiction to his sworn affidavit, however, Mr Gold has been interviewed in connection with drug offences, money offences and various other matters. These have included the provision of cash laundering facilities and his employment of persons who have been involved in the illegal drug industry.
Gerald Gold has recently been placed before the Federal Court and is now a bankrupt. In an interview with Superintendent Warren from the Victoria Police Force on 2 September 1991 Mr Gold made certain statements. As a result of this interview, further inquiries have been commenced, which include a review of all Gold's failed businesses dating back to 1969.
Mr Moore: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. We have heard Mr Dennis Stevenson talking on Mr Gold on many previous occasions. The man deserves some protection in this house. He has, after all, not been found guilty of any offence. We have already heard this sort of thing before from Mr Stevenson. It has very little relevance to what we are doing, and he ought to desist.
MR SPEAKER: I ask you to be very careful in what you are presenting, Mr Stevenson. I take Mr Moore's point of view, and I think it is a general point of view held by most members of this Assembly.
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