TO OBJECTIFY & EXPLOIT WOMEN - VOTE GREEN!

Friday 16^th November 2007

Rev Fred Nile, Leader of the Christian Democratic Party, has raised concern in parliament that EROS, the association that represents pornography peddlers across the nation, has again urged the public to vote for the Green party in Saturday’s Federal Election (24^th November 2007) due to their support for their industry.

“The industry involved in the illegal sale of unclassified and refused classification movies and the sale of X-rated videos or movies in videotape or DVD format operates mainly in the Australian Capital Territory. X-rated videos are available for sale from pornographic shops in the Australian Capital Territory, and sadly also by mail order to residents of New South Wales. That material is financed and produced mainly in the United States of America by organised crime, including the Mafia. Some of that material has input from Germany and other countries. A great amount of the material includes the abuse of girls, particularly Asian girls.

I have received copies of emails sent between Robbie Swan and his partner Fiona Patten of the Eros Foundation, who are actively involved in the importation and sale of prohibited goods, which they bring into Australia and seek to put through Australia's classification system. The movies, on DVD or videotape, have been refused classification due to violence and under-age actors. In some cases they use actors of legal age who purport to be children and are intended to depict children. The emails indicate that Brett and Camilla Allen are also involved in the sale of prohibited imports.

An individual named Royston applied for classification of certain offensive material in the correct expectation that it would be refused. Patten's comment of 18 June 2007 that Royston does not distribute Crush/Dark Angels 2—Bloodline in film or DVD gives the game away that she deals with the distributor. The majority of the Eros Association members sell unclassified material, which is illegal. Penalties are much higher for selling refused classification material and possession of refused classification material can lead to 12 months imprisonment. Approximately 500 adult shops sell unclassified and refused classification material. X-rated material is legal for sale from the Australian Capital Territory, but refused classification material is not”, said Rev Fred Nile MLC.

“The Eros Foundation has campaigned for legalisation of X-rated material in New South Wales, and has often attacked me in the media and in its publications. Members of the Eros Foundation also sell unclassified material. During the recent State election, the Eros Foundation produced a radio advertisement calling on listeners to vote for the Greens and against me.

The Greens made no complaint about receiving support from that pornographic company. I am advised that Customs does little to prevent the importation of unclassified material. All unclassified material should be held in bond until it is classified and it should be destroyed if classification is refused. When Paul Green, the Christian Democratic Party candidate for the Senate, is elected at the next Federal election, he will introduce a private member's bill that will make appropriate amendments to the Customs Act 1901. The emails that I have received also suggest an unhealthy and close relationship between these pornographers and Tony Brown, a former acting executive director to the Commissioner for Fair Trading in the Australian Capital Territory.

There was a similar unhealthy relationship involving Des Clark, former director of the Office of Film and Literature Classification. Those relationships are a cause for great concern. When Des Clark was leaving his role, Robbie Swan of the Eros Foundation said, "I will send him a nice original erotic Indian miniature painting as a thank you for what could be considered as a good term as Director." I am very concerned about these close relationships between pornographers and people in charge of film classification, or people working for the Commissioner for Fair Trading in the Australian Capital Territory. I call on the Federal and State governments to investigate these relationships to ensure that public servants are not breaking the law”, stated Rev Nile.