Sydney’s porn-hunters outed

While Police have declined to explain why they raid particular adult shops at particular times, the Australian Sex Party (ASP) has outed Sydney’s porn hunters.

There is a building in Mary Street Surry Hills with several theatrettes. This is where Commonwealth Censors watch and classify films from G to X-rated, or refuse classification (RC), effectively banning them. A fee of $850 is charged on any film seeking classification (and therefore legal status).

But also in the building are the offices of Ron Robinson and David Lock. These “Censorship Classification Liaison Officers” hunt down pornography for sale and inform the police, says the ASP.

These men visit adult shops and find X-rated or unclassified material for sale.

The ASP has published two “Not Wanted” posters warning these men that they are not wanted on private premises and accusing them of foregoing their educational role in favour of enforcement.

Aside from X-rated material being perfectly legal to own, the ASP says this was especially hypocritical as their office is partly funded by the very fees that are paid to have these films classified in the same building.

Meanwhile some conservative Senators are pressing for far greater police response against pornography, noting in an estimates hearing that 441 titles had been called in by the Classification Board, without response from people selling them. The Board then notifies Police who are expected to enforce the order, but the Senators see lack of such action as a “system breakdown” rather than considering that police might have more serious matters to attend.

A Commonwealth-state working group is also attempting to have soft erotica as currently sold in newsagents restricted to adult-only premises.

by Michael Gormly