Book censorship today
All books and magazines must comply with the law:
- It is illegal to own or supply any book or magazine that is objectionable (banned).
- It is illegal to supply an underage person with a book or magazine that contains restricted material.
- It is an offence to display a publication in a way that is different to any display requirements the publication has (or would have) imposed on it. Display conditions can require display only in sealed/opaque bags, display in 'restricted areas' or display only on request.
Books and magazines do not have to be officially classified
The Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 changed the requirement that all restricted level books and magazines needed to be pre-censored before they could be sold. The current Act has a system of voluntary submission for restricted magazine and books.
The voluntary submission system means that many 'adult' magazines are not officially classified. Instead, distributors label the magazines R18 and bag them. In doing this they are restricting access to their publications by anticipating the age and display restrictions that would be placed upon them by the Classification Office. However, if a magazine is submitted to the Classification Office, for example by an enforcement agency or a member of the public, and it is found to be 'objectionable' or to require a higher restriction or different display conditions, the distributor could be prosecuted.
Every year a number of books and magazines are classified
Some are submitted for classification by distributors wanting to make sure they are able to legally market the material. Others are submitted as a result of action by NZ Customs, Police or the Censorship Compliance Unit of the Department of Internal Affairs, or because of a Court case. A small number are submitted by members of the public.
official classification labels on books and magazines
Books and magazines restricted by the Classification Office, since 2005, are required to carry labels. The labels look the same as film labels.
See a list of books classified from 1963 until now
Glossary:
- Opaque bag = A bag you can't see through which covers up explicit content on magazine covers
- 'Adult' magazine = sexually explicit magazines
