Page 3686 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 9 December 1992
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Members would have seen quite a bit of kerfuffle in the media some months ago when the police mounted a series of major raids in Fyshwick on certain premises in which a lot of material was seized in order to check whether there was unclassified material there. X-rated video material has had to go through a rigorous Commonwealth censorship procedure, and any material which features child pornography is not classified. Violent material, Madam Speaker, is not classified, and we take seriously our responsibilities to ensure that that type of material, that unclassified or unclassifiable material, is not available in the ACT.
I note that Mr Stevenson and his supporters are regularly placing petitions before this Assembly, often signed by people out of the Territory, asking us, firstly, to ban X-rated videos and, secondly, to ban child pornography. Mr Stevenson, your interstate petitioners would be better off petitioning their own State governments because this is the only jurisdiction in Australia where possession of child pornography is an offence. Other States, who may wish to grandstand on this - and the former Police Minister in New South Wales was wont to do this at Police Ministers forums - say: "You are allowing violent pornography and child pornography in the ACT and you should do something about it". Well, first, the violent material is not classified by the Commonwealth Film Censorship Board and, secondly, as well as it not being classified, it is an offence to possess child pornography in the ACT.
Mr Kaine: By Alliance Government law, not yours, Attorney-General.
MR CONNOLLY: No, in fact by a private members Bill brought in by Mr Collaery which was supported by all members. So, we will actually give Mr Collaery some credit.
Mr Kaine: But it was not your initiative and you would never have taken it.
MR CONNOLLY: Nor was it yours, Mr Kaine.
Mr Kaine: So, do not claim credit now.
MR CONNOLLY: You, however, Mr Kaine, have the credit for imposing the tax. It was your tax.
Mr Kaine: You are darned right. Absolutely.
MR CONNOLLY: So, you have the credit for regulating the industry. You have the credit for recognising it, for taking the loot from lust, as I think you described it previously. Then in government you put the tax on. Opposition members then were not going to dignify that.
Madam Speaker, we really have to decide whether we think we can progress the case by banning this material and forcing it underground, or by continuing to tightly control it. I and members on this side would say that it is better, as Mr Stevenson said yesterday in another context, to beat a bad idea with better ideas. We have problems with X-rated videos. There have been debates in this chamber. I think Ms Szuty brought forward a motion some months ago on material that degrades women. We have real concerns about that. We say that the best way to deal with this X-rated material is to put out better images of the role and status of women in the community.
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