Australia: X Rated films might finally become legal nationwide

[AdultKing]

There's been a bit of talk about loosening the silly X Rated films laws in the states following the legislation to allow R rated video games in Australia.

For those of you who aren't Australian, right now we have a silly situation that has existed from the mid 1980's which allows X rated films to be classified in Australia, however only allows their sale inside our two territories (the ACT and NT). It's illegal to sell X rated films in all of the states, however this does not stop many stores from selling them.

The Australian Law Reform Commission has recommended changes to this situation.

We also have the obviously stupid "small boobs" guidelines to the classification of porn which sees some films featuring girls with smaller boobs being banned.

http://www.eros.com.au/index.php?opt...04&Ite mid=23

[Calico Jack]

That's great news (if it actually happens)...and not before time either!

[georgeyw]

Originally Posted by AdultKing

There's been a bit of talk about loosening the silly X Rated films laws in the states following the legislation to allow R rated video games in Australia.

For those of you who aren't Australian, right now we have a silly situation that has existed from the mid 1980's which allows X rated films to be classified in Australia, however only allows their sale inside our two territories (the ACT and NT). It's illegal to sell X rated films in all of the states, however this does not stop many stores from selling them.

The Australian Law Reform Commission has recommended changes to this situation.

We also have the obviously stupid "small boobs" guidelines to the classification of porn which sees some films featuring girls with smaller boobs being banned.

http://www.eros.com.au/index.php?opt...04&Ite mid=23

What the actual production of x rated films?

[AdultKing]

Originally Posted by georgeyw

What the actual production of x rated films?

Alas, only the sale of them.

[asianseekerz]

sounds interesting

[Screwed Up]

Originally Posted by AdultKing

...We also have the obviously stupid "small boobs" guidelines to the classification of porn which sees some films featuring girls with smaller boobs being banned. ..

Small boobs porn gets banned??

[Best-In-BC]

Leave them in the stone age

[AdultKing]

Originally Posted by Screwed Up

Small boobs porn gets banned??

Yes, as does most fetish material now days. Our governments have generally been swayed by the "this of the children" mentality of lobby groups which leaves adults without most material available in many other countries.

[georgeyw]

Originally Posted by AdultKing

Alas, only the sale of them.

Well one step at a time I guess.

[brassmonkey]

glad i don't live there

[Lewis_T]

Good to hear our government is finally taking some steps forward, it is ridiculous that the only way to legally sell this material on DVD is in these states, otherwise, many companies are forced to "Mail Order" them from these territories just to get around these laws. Hopefully, the next step will be legal production of the material.

[MattPIVO]

That is VERY interesting news. Thank god for the U.S.

[AdultKing]

Originally Posted by Lewis_T

Good to hear our government is finally taking some steps forward, it is ridiculous that the only way to legally sell this material on DVD is in these states, otherwise, many companies are forced to "Mail Order" them from these territories just to get around these laws. Hopefully, the next step will be legal production of the material.

As things stand now, most adult shops in the states just accept the potential fines for selling X Rated videos as a cost of doing buisness. Club X stores in NSW and Victoria stock X Rated videos. Our stores in Victoria stock them. Some smaller stores also stock them but have R Rated versions on display.

It's a ridiculous situation, one which will hopefully change soon. The Eros foundation is doing alot of lobbying on this issue at the moment, I am sure that without them doing their good work we'd all be fucked in the industry here.

[Lewis_T]

Originally Posted by AdultKing

As things stand now, most adult shops in the states just accept the potential fines for selling X Rated videos as a cost of doing buisness. Club X stores in NSW and Victoria stock X Rated videos. Our stores in Victoria stock them. Some smaller stores also stock them but have R Rated versions on display.

It's a ridiculous situation, one which will hopefully change soon. The Eros foundation is doing alot of lobbying on this issue at the moment, I am sure that without them doing their good work we'd all be fucked in the industry here.

For sure, I also know many stores in QLD that have copped the fine and still continue to do business. Its hoops and barrels, if it becomes legal to sell X rated, hopefully the cost of approval changes, currently its about $800 AUD (not sure what it costs elsewhere) to classify an adult dvd, usually the content creator will use a distributor to release the DVD's out, which if you have a good distributor gives about $3 - $4 a dvd to you if your lucky, most of the time it is much less, can be hard to make money when there is little demand, high cost of production and then an approval fee. Its hard to move DVD's these days in this industry, although it would be great if they made it legal for the sale of X, this alone needs to change but the cost of approval and time it takes is rather expensive from a content providers POV, and can be very time consuming.

Maybe if they did legalise it, it would open a door for agency's to classify these films on behalf of the board, making it cheaper overall and allowing a more productive flow. But who knows. Kudos to Eros, either way, it still needs to change, our laws are well...so 1980's :-)

I met one of the guys from Eros a few years back at a Biz show of Sexpo, was great to get his insight into it all, as well as the Australian Sex Party, they are lobbying to really change the adult industry for Australia, I can not commend them enough, and I really hope to start seeing their hard work pay off soon. Small steps in the right direction :-)

[lucas131]

somebody died there or what? or why it tooks that long? crocodile dundee?

[AdultKing]

Originally Posted by Lewis_T

For sure, I also know many stores in QLD that have copped the fine and still continue to do business. Its hoops and barrels, if it becomes legal to sell X rated, hopefully the cost of approval changes, currently its about $800 AUD (not sure what it costs elsewhere) to classify an adult dvd, usually the content creator will use a distributor to release the DVD's out, which if you have a good distributor gives about $3 - $4 a dvd to you if your lucky, most of the time it is much less, can be hard to make money when there is little demand, high cost of production and then an approval fee.

Unfortunately classification fees are set to rise on films this year.

As for DVD sales, our retail figures have DVD's at a 5 year high in sales. I know Club X is doing very well with DVD sales too. I don't know about smaller stores. Much of the market for adult DVD's still does not have streaming to the bedroom, the largest group of people buying DVD's are couples who walk into our stores and take home a toy and dvd. I expect DVD sales to do quite well until people have internet streaming to their bedrooms.

Originally Posted by lucas131

somebody died there or what? or why it tooks that long? crocodile dundee?

We had a recalcitrant Attorney General in the state of South Australia, he refused to agree for his state to sell X Rated videos or to allow R Rated video games. R Rated video games legislation has recently passed the Federal Parliament, which now makes Video Game ratings fall in line with video ratings. Hardcore Porn is rated X in Australia and currently can only be sold from the territories (not states). The window is now open for States to allow the sale of X Rated videos, which all states have now agreed to, So we are basically waiting for Federal Parliament to move legislation forward on this.

I know the politics sounds complex, that's because it is. Censorship is something the States and the Federal parliament must agree on. Unless all States agree to a change nothing can happen and we have been stalled for 10 years on this issue.