When shown images of female genitalia, it’s no surprise that Mr Scott is unable a lot of the time to give a definite and clear response as to whether the image would be banned. It’s another case of the ACB’s lack of clear guidelines resulting in some pretty inconsistent decision making. Mr Scott even acknowledges the fact:

Hungry Beast: I guess just a clear explanation of what genital detail means? Cos while I mean, there’s clear guidelines for you guys some of the words used are quite vague-

Greg Scott: Yeah yeah, well they’re vague for us too sometimes.

And don’t we know it.

Check out the blog of Hungry Beast reporter Kirsten Drysdale for some further insight.

About:

For centuries books that challenge the moral, political or religious norms of their times have been ‘banned’ or removed from public circulation. Today, studying these banned books provides a revealing insight into the psyche of particular eras and cultures around the world.

In this special Uncovered event, SLQ Librarians Joan Bruce & Irene Sourgnes, will provide a guided opportunity to view some of these books up-close and learn about their fascinating histories and authors.

With divisive examples such as Norman Lindsay’s “Redheap”, “The Little Red Schoolbook”, and even “Bambi”, Banned Books promises to challenge our thinking on censorship and freedom of speech.

Come join me! It’s free, but you need to reserve tickets through Qtix.

Date/Time
Sun 7 June 2009, 1:30pm

Tickets
FREE EVENT

Duration
1 hour and 30 minutes

Venue
Fox Family White Gloves Room, Level 4
State Library of Queensland
Stanley Place, South Bank Precinct
South Brisbane

Although this information has been available to the public in the past (unlike the contents of the ACMA blacklist of banned websites), to the best of my knowledge the grouping of this data has not been so easily accessible.

Screenshot of the Classification Board Database, Sunday May 17 2009

Using the the classification database search engine, visitor’s are able to display a list of banned films, books, magazines, publications and games dating back to 1972 with a few clicks. Click here to see a list of titles dating back to 1972 and here for a list containing more recent titles (some listings are duplicated in both lists).

The list also reveals the titles of content sent to the board for review by ACMA and Australian law enforcement agencies. In most cases specific details like URLs are not attached to these listings, but details of police operation names, exhibit and job numbers, and some file names are included. However, some URLs attached to CD-ROM submissions are included.

Because the list maxes out at 1000 listings, at this stage I cannot verify whether the list is complete.

Breakdown of lists:

- Banned Games
- Banned Films (includes ABA, ACMA & law enforcement submissions)
- Banned Publications

Of course, material directly condoning such heinous acts would never pass ACB muster — the classified magazines referred to were almost certainly run of the mill porn mags featuring models of legal age. BP and Shell’s decision to remove these mags is a result of a knee jerk company policy, not government or law enforcement intervention.

Here’s a quick run down of what happened:

• Kids Free 2 B Kids Director, Julie Gale, says magazines approved for sale encourage the sexual penetration of under-age girls and some of the video/dvd advertisements validate crimes such as incest and rape. Gale says the young women are often posed in pigtails, plaits, school uniform, pink headbands and with soft cuddly toys. Milk bars, convenience stores and petrol stations  selling magazines are targeted.
• Barnaby Joyce takes Kids Free 2 B Kids claims to Senate Estimates in October (documented here on STotC and at R-C.com). He expresses concern that pornography available in petrol stations and corner stores is encouraging paedophilia. He also has a problem with the use of ‘innocent-looking babes’ and wants to know when it will be stopped.
• November 20, BP decides to remove all ‘R-Rated materials’ from company owned and operated stores. BP says the decision was taken on the basis that they were not comfortable with the titles of some of the range, nor did they feel the material was consistent with company values.
• November 26, Shell/Coles Express follow suit removing Category 1 magazines nationwide. Julie Gale says ‘The Federal classification system and its State and Territory enforcement arms need an overhaul. They are not working.’

Those associated with Kids Free 2B Kids include Young Media Australia (support) and Dr Clive Hamilton (unspecified).

The Twelfth Fish by Graham Perrett

Here’s a ripper: Moral guardian group and soldiers in the battle against filth, Salt Shakers, are going bonkers over a new book from Labor backbencher Graham Perrett. Why? Salt Shakers believe leaders of the nation should not be encouraging reading that contains ‘extremely graphic’ and ‘sexual’ material.

Thankfully no one else agrees (okay, there’s probably a few otherwise I wouldn’t need to write this blog).

Lindsay Tanner has read The Twelfth Fish and thinks some of the expressions that have been made about the book are entirely exaggerated.

Tanner told The Australian:

“If you look around at a few books here and there, you’ll find equivalent sex scenes.”
He described Salt Shakers as one of those “rather obscure and extreme groups” that sometimes get into public debate.

“I suspect my mum would be a little bit worried about some of the content of the book, but it’s an adult novel.”

It had been a long time since books with sex scenes were banned in Australia, Mr Tanner said.

Calling Salt Shakers an obscure and extreme group is putting it nicely.

You’re probably wondering what’s so naughty about this book by now so here’s some extracts thanks to The Daily Telegrah (who of which has two warnings about the possibly offensive content you’re about to read, as if one was not enough).

“Was there any alternative when a deliciously warm hand was masturbating me while another hand cupped my balls and kisses were orbiting my groin in ever-diminishing circles.

“My heart, my universe, my soul, my everything was in Cylla’s (fellow teacher at his school) mouth and nothing else mattered.

“I started to worry about Cylla’s jaw muscles cramping … orgasm threw my sense of perspective.” (pg 155)

Another oral passage:

“She pressed on, supportive and relentless, sliding down beneath the blankets, kissing and licking and positioning herself firmly beneath my knees and methodically commencing fellatio.” (pg 167)

“The din from the party mocked me as Karen (his girlfriend) attacked my surly worm with gusto. It was as if she was professionally slighted.” (pg 168).

The Daily Telegraph also complemented their exercise in makeshift journalism with this fine image:

The graphic used alongside the News.com.au/Daily Telegraph article 'MP author's vulgar book earns parliamentary praise'

Obviously the graphic designer from Today Tonight got a new job.

And just for a quick reminder of how messed up Salt Shakers are — remember that channel 9 series The Block where four couples renovated some houses? Salt Shakers didn’t like the fact one couple was homosexual:

The Block, a ‘reality’ program on Channel 9, is a renovation ‘challenge’ in a block of Bondi flats has four ‘couples’ competing to renovate a flat. Three couples are heterosexual (only two are married) the other ‘couple’ are two homosexual men who openly exhibit their ‘sexuality’. They also threaten to renovate in their underwear!

This program is on Channel 9 at 6.30pm on SUNDAY evenings – yes, that’s right, just when our children are watching! Please contact Channel 9 – This is TV social engineering GONE MAD and it is BAD NEWS for our nation if this becomes an accepted norm for Sunday night TV!

It will set a precedent if YOU don’t air YOUR concern…

Comical.

The Barnmeister scores another point for Ignorance.

I’m not going to waste much breath on Barnaby Joyce, but he’s concerned pornography available in petrol stations and corner stores is encouraging paedophilia. I know. I know. Another ripper from the Barnaby School of No Evidence.

Senator Julian McGauran also said shops are selling illegal, explicit magazines by disguising them in opaque packaging. McGauran said RC “or worse” is being put in the black jackets. I can think of only one type of pornograhy that is ‘worse’ than RC, and I highly doubt petrol stations are selling it.

The Classification Board says it classifies what they receive and don’t go looking for it. The A-G’s office says enforcement is a job for the police (might I add Fair Trading if in QLD). That’s a bit of a cop out though, because the ACB employs a community liason officer that could ‘educate’ some of these places about what they can and can’t stock. Maybe they cut that position?

I get the feeling the Today Show was expecting a bedtime story for kids that advocated plastic surgery for 5 year olds, but Salzhauer’s book turned out to be little more than a tool designed to help reassure children that their mummy isn’t sick, she just wants to feel better about herself.

What they don’t show in the video is Lisa and Karl’s attack on Salzhauer after the interview had finished.

Karl Stefanovic: ‘Can you believe that guy!!!’

Real pro.

Watch the cut version here on NineMSN. Sorry, I couldn’t rip it to put on YouTube – no plugin for FireFox 3 yet

The original edition of the book was banned in NZ (as it is in Australia – PDF Descision Report), but changes made to the International Edition were enough to bring the censors on side.

RTLNZ says the fact Australia Refused Classification on the book and did not see fit to invite the authors of it to make amendments for reclassification is one of many reasons to keep the book banned in New Zealand.

They also claim:

‘It is contended that the only effective means available to prevent the book falling into the hands of a young person under the age of 18 years or a person who is depressed or suffering from a psychiatric condition, is to classify the book as objectionable. This would ensure that the book would be prevented from entering New Zealand. It would make it an offence under the FVPC Act to import the book by any means, including the internet. Furthermore, it could not be legally downloaded from the internet.‘

Thankfully, the NZ OFLC isn’t quite as influenced as ours. They state in their report:

By redacting the book rather than publishing an abridged edition, and by allowing the headings to remain, Dr Nitschke has allowed the reader to obtain a sense of the subject matter of original text, as well as the redacted material, without actually having access to that material and without compromising the book’s message.

The publication is a well-intentioned book that advocates law reform and gives advice to enable the seriously ill and elderly “to make carefully considered and fully informed decisions about their own life, and death.” This advice includes comparison of various means of suicide, which is not illegal. The book argues that the law should be changed to permit seriously ill and elderly people access to pentobarbital, a drug the authors consider to be the most dignified and peaceful means of suicide. When advocating law reform or a change in social perception, it is often necessary to describe the benefits of the thing or practice that is outlawed or stigmatised to get the law reformed or the perception changed.

But they also acknowledged concern over young people reading it:

The risk of imitation by young persons of the self-harm outlined in the book, particularly those less complicated methods of suicide such as the use of an exit-bag is, significant. Unless restricted to persons 18 years of age and over, this material is likely to be injurious to the public good because the general levels of emotional and intellectual development and maturity of persons under that age mean that the availability of the publication to those persons would be likely to cause them to be greatly disturbed or shocked and increase significantly the risk of them killing, or causing serious harm to, themselves, others, or both.

Looks a like a responsible and well considered move by the NZ OFLC. You can read their entire decision here (PDF).

A digital version of The Peaceful Pill Handbook is due for publication by Exit US soon.

Refused-Classification has a detailed run down of the Australian banning if you’d like to read more about that case.

Meanwhile, the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards are just plain, f’ing wackjobs. No, seriously click that link and read it. Don’t you want to hand your life over to these people?

1. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, RRP: $8.95
   ‘Banned in China in 1931 as it depicted animals and humans on the same level.’
   
2. Different Seasons, Stephen King, RRP: $19.99
   ‘Comprises of four novellas with an interlacing of horror that capture the dark corners of our times. It was once removed from school libraries because “it does not meet the standards of the community.”‘
3. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley, RRP: $24.95
   ‘Along with the poor and mediocre review it initially received, Huxley’s book has become one of the most frequently banned books in literary history, yet triumphantly emerged as the one of today’s greatest controversial classics.’
   

Pretty light reading when you compare them to something from Richard Laymon (at least on a sex, violence and naked fat maniac with a knife level).