Kings Cross adult shops raided

In the past fortnight, two Kings Cross adult shops have been raided and 90% of stock was seized, according to Fiona Patten from the Australian Sex Party (ASP).

“The shops have been closed by police and taped with crime scene tape. All tills and safes were broken open and computers and shop records were all seized. Only lingerie was left. The raids took 15 police officers an entire day to carry out,” she said.

While X-rated material is legal to own in all states and legal to sell in the territories, it remains illegal to sell in NSW, an anomaly that Attorney-General John Hatzistergos refuses to address.

Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon weighed in, drawing criticism from Christian Democrats MLC Fred Nile.

“I struggle to think of a less productive use of NSW Police’s valuable time than having fifteen officers spend an entire day confiscating material that is legal for the public to own,” Ms Rhiannon said.

“Material classified in this category contains consensual sexual activity between adults. It does not contain violence, sexual coercion or depictions of performers under 18 years of age.

“Repeated surveys have shown that the public supports the sale of x-rated material from age-restricted adult shops.”

Nevertheless, when Ms Rhiannon moved in Parliament to regulate rather than ban the sale of X-rated material, the Attorney-General claimed the public supported the ban.

Asked about the legal anomaly and the AG’s evidence-free claim about public support for the bans, a spokesperson replied: “All states allow the possession of material legally purchased elsewhere in Australia. This approach maintains the position against pornography but avoids the outcome of criminalising visitors from the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory.

“A change to classification laws in this area is not currently on the agenda of the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General.”

Rev Nile opposed Ms Rhiannon’s stance.

“I’m disgusted that the Green party would again put the interests of the pornography industry before those of NSW women. They should be ashamed. Pornography, especially material that is currently illegal, is exploitative, disempowering and degrading to women and children, not to mention the significant harm it can inflict as a conditioning catalyst for sexual assault,” he said.

Mr Nile’s argument fails, however, against gay porn, which features acts between consenting adults of the same sex. Nevertheless he said he would be introducing a Bill to have possession of X-rated material banned.

“Fred’s call to ban possession of X would automatically make criminals of 1.5 million NSW residents,” said Robbie Swan from the ASP.

But Ms Patten warned of more sinister effects from such prohibition.

“If X rated films are not going to be sold from council-approved and age restricted adult shops in NSW they will increasingly be sold from family premises”, she said.

“Already there is a dramatic rise in the availability of X rated material from under the counter at suburban video libraries where one out of three now sells X rated films. Hundreds of newsagents in NSW are now selling X rated films in blister packs with adult magazines. This is not what the public wants”.

She said last week’s raids would have cost the taxpayer at least $100,000 and that the police would now have to spend at least another $20,000 getting the films classified.

Police media did not respond to questions about the raids.

by Michael Gormly