Monday, September 17, 2007

Pornography Outlawed for Australian Aborigines

As of today, anyone caught in an Aboriginal community in the Northern Territories of Australia with pornographic DVDs or magazines faces fines of up to A$11,000 (US $9,200). This forms part of an attempt by the White government to stop the rampant child sex abuse in the non-White community.


People in possession of five or more prohibited items will be automatically deemed traffickers and face up to two years imprisonment.


Ironically, Aboriginal women have singled out SBS television – Australia’s foremost promoter of ‘multi-culturalism’ as one of the main distributors of pornography in the Northern Territory.


The bans form part of the second phase of the federal government's intervention in the NT but critics claim they don't target problem areas and will be easily undermined. "Foxtel R rated channel is still by far the major source of porn going into communities and unfortunately the federal government hasn't turned that stream off yet," said Robbie Swan from the Eros Foundation, an adult entertainment industry lobby group.


Swan said only 15 to 25 per cent of pornographic material viewed in remote Aboriginal communities came in the form of a DVD or magazine, while the rest was sourced through pay or commercial television.


He said there as "plenty of evidence" to suggest that Foxtel representatives were promoting the channel in Aboriginal communities, despite the government's intervention.

No comments: