Alexandra Greene
I just made my first post on NoCensorshipAus (a new collaborative blog) about News Ltd’s puff piece on Australian Classification Board member Alexandra Greene.
Greene told the paper that she doesn’t consider her role at the ACB to be that of a censor, she merely informs people about what they are about to watch and if necessary restrict the content from being viewed.
That’s right. In the world of the Australian censor, banning (or ‘restricting’) films like Baise-Moi and Ken Park is not censorship. Protection no doubt?
Greene also says adults get offended because they’re worried their kids might understand double entendres in films. I think it’s more likely that those adults are simply offended themselves. Imagine a kid who got offended by a line in Shrek. I can’t.
4 comments
Matthew says:
Sep 6, 2008
This line from her is rather confusing; “People should be able to watch or read what they like but we do need to protect people and children from unsolicited material, or at least give them the choice if they want to watch it”.
What the flip does she mean by “unsolicited”? I actually choose to watch what films and magazines I buy, so what the hell is she talking about? There’s nothing “unsolicited” about it. Same with kids. Parents usually choose what they see. I’m just not getting what she’s on about.
Mike says:
Sep 6, 2008
Yeah good point Matt. It’s early (well I just woke up at least), but I see it two ways:
1) She means we have the right to know what we are about to watch – as in accurate classification to avoid say unsolicited extreme violence in movies, or swearing, whatever. Probably not the best use of the term unsolicited if that is the case.
Or
2) She like so many politicians (*cough* Conroy) believe children are exposed to pornography not by choice but by accident. As if it is waiting to pounce from every corner of the web – on Disney websites or on the flip side of a Sooty DVD. Except for spam, how much unsolicited violence or pornography is anyone exposed to? As for me, hardly any.
I’m betting she means #2.
Colin says:
Sep 8, 2008
“But now it’s that adults get offended because they’re worried their kids might understand.”
What if the kids _do_ understand? Is there some grey area between total incomprehension and appreciation of a raunchy joke where you get brain damage from hearing it?
Mike says:
Sep 8, 2008
If they are worried that their child might understand, why would they be offended. Embarrassed or shocked I might accept, but offended? Greene’s responses are impossible to make sense of.