New 'MA' film/video classification

8/5/94

From tomorrow Western Australia will have a new film and video classification aimed at reducing the exposure of children to graphically violent and sexually explicit films and videos. 

Attorney General Cheryl Edwardes said the new 'MA' (Mature Adult) classification for films and videos would be created with the Censorship Laws Amendment Act coming into operation. 

Mrs Edwardes said the 'MA' classification reflected community concern over the classification of some films. 

"This concern arose out of the 'M' classification - where until now films such as 'Crocodile Dundee' and 'My Left Foot' had the same classification as 'Cape Fear' and 'Silence of the Lambs'," Mrs Edwardes said. 

"The creation of the 'MA' classification will help distinguish between films and videos which are at the lower end of the existing 'M' classification - such as 'Crocodile Dundee' - and those at the higher end which will be classified as 'MA'." 

Mrs Edwardes said a film or video would receive the 'MA' classification if it contained depictions of sex, violence or coarse language deemed to be unsuitable for viewing by those under 15 years of age. 

Children under 15 would be refused admission to an 'MA' film and be unable to hire or purchase a video with an 'MA' classification unless they were accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

Mrs Edwardes said the change placed the onus upon a parent or guardian to take responsibility if a child was to gain access to 'MA' films or videos. 

"If the onus had just been left at 'adult' this would have allowed older brothers, sisters, boyfriends and girlfriends to take children to see these films or hire videos," she said.

Mrs Edwardes said cinema houses and video outlets, through the Motion Picture Distributors' Association and the Video Industry Distributors Association, were aware of the introduction of the 'MA' classification.

"The change is a worthy step in the efforts being made to reduce the exposure of our young children to violent or graphic material," the Attorney General said. 

Media contact:  Casey Cahill 222 9595