Peter Brown’s Speech On Censorship
Given In The House On Wednesday The 29th June At 3.22 pm
“I am calling for the resignation of the Chief Censor. If he does not go voluntarily, he should be sacked. If he does
not go, the Minister of Internal Affairs should go. The Chief Censor is a disgrace. He is making the law up as he goes
along. The term “objectionable” in the Censorship Act that governs films and videos is quite specific. It talks about
the exploitation of children, child sex, the use of violence and coercion, rape, sexual conduct with or upon a dead body
or a dead person, the use of urine or excrement in association with degrading or dehumanising conduct, bestiality, acts
of torture, and the infliction of extreme violence and cruelty. The Censor is letting films containing all of that into
this country, and not by one’s and two’s, but by the hundreds, from what I can work out. He should go forthwith. He
certainly should not have his contract renewed when his time expires, I believe, in October this year. Violent crime in
this country is on the rise. It has increased over 100 percent in the last 13 years. It has increased 11 percent since
the Minister of Internal Affairs became a Minister, and violence on television and films is a contributing factor to
violence in the public arena. Have no doubt, we are what we eat. If we eat junk food our bodies will suffer. Our actions
are determined by our brains. Feed some of the scum, the low-life in this country, a diet of concentrated sex, violence,
and obscenities, and we will all suffer the consequences. Society will suffer the consequences, but some will pay with
their lives. If members doubt that movies and videos have an effect on people, then just look at the effect of
television, visual aides at conferences, conventions, and television advertising. Last year the Censor, in his annual
report, conducted a survey. He had 152 people representing New Zealand to see three videos. Seven people walked out.
According to his report, the vast majority found these videos to be disgusting. I will quote from his annual report:
“ They were concerned that material created or reinforced unrealistic stereotypes about women and sexual relationships
and built up expectations about what sexual behaviours to expect from a potential partner.”
“They may feel this is a normal situation and try to copy them with a unwilling partner.”
“The environment may be used in fantasy, but I believe most men would view this as unrealistic behaviours. These are
three views from this group of people who watched these three videos. Members of the public were asked. “What were the
four most concerns they had about videos?”
“Assessments on whether specific sexual activities were degrading. That is the subtitle in this part of the Censor’s
report. I cannot even read in the House what is on this piece of paper. I would be ashamed to read it. I will table
these documents and MPs can read them for themselves. This is what this Censor has allowed to go through, and this is a
country that prides itself on health and the well-being of the people. These activities listed in this official document
are absolutely disgusting. I will table this at the end of my speech. This Censor is opening the doors, and parts of
these pages open the doors to broaden what can be shown in this country. I seek leave to table pages 52, 53, 54, and 55
of the Office and Film and Literature Classifications Annual Report 2001.”
ENDS
Note: Mr Brown is concerned that the assessment of the three videos referred to above cost the tax payer $38,000.00