Brown Calls On Minister To Sack Censor

“The Film and Literature Board of Review’s decision to release the film ‘Irreversible’ is atrocious and unfathomable”, New Zealand First Deputy Leader, Peter Brown said today.

“Why should the Board rule in favour of such a film for the personal commercial gain of a sole operator?

“The Minister has got to act now and sack Bill Hastings as Chief Censor. Mr Hastings is not doing his job to safeguard and prevent injury to the ‘public good’ in accord with the clear intention of Parliament. In fact we have a Censor and a Review Board which actively encourage hard-core pornography while society continues to reel from violently criminal and sick behaviour.

“This film has no artistic merit whatsoever, consisting almost entirely of expletives against homosexuals and women, along with brutal and graphic sexual violence. The majority of those who viewed the film considered it to be ‘objectionable’ and a consultant psychologist also said it should be banned. At a screening of the film in Europe last year many people fainted in the theatre and fire wardens were called in to use oxygen to resuscitate 20 of them.

“Someone has got to take a responsible approach to these issues. If Mr Hawkins is not prepared to sack the Censor, then the Prime Minister should sack the Minister,” Mr Brown said.

© Scoop Media