Fed: Coonan says online books won't be censored

AAP General News (Australia)
03-15-2007
Fed: Coonan says online books won't be censored

CANBERRA, March 15 AAP - Publishers can be assured that proposed new classification
rules will not ban or restrict online publications of material currently sold over the
counter, Communications Minister Helen Coonan says.

Senator Coonan is to meet Australian book publishers later today to discuss government
proposals for standardised online and television classification rules.

Publishers are concerned that the new system - sparked by the furore surrounding the
Big Brother reality TV show "turkey-slapping" incident last year - may create a defacto
censorship system, which means books now available from shops might have their online
versions banned.

Senator Coonan said the objective was to streamline rules for electronic content, irrespective
of how that content was delivered.

"The confusion has really arisen because ... there's different classifications across
different mediums," she told ABC radio.

"Books and magazines don't have to be classified at all. The intent that I have is,
that apart from restricted categories, they won't have to be restricted if they are online.

Senator Coonan said that was her main objective.

"You can take the current arrangements and translate them online. The new legislation
is not intended to make material that is currently legal illegal or inaccessible," she
said.

"It is important that we work through the current classifications."

Senator Coonan said the government wanted to do this to protect children from harmful
online content or through new devices such as 3G phones.

She said classification categories did need to be aligned as there were different classifications
for films, computer games, books and magazines as well as internet content.

On top of that are differing state and territory laws and the criminal code.

"By the time you get to live streaming, which is what the Big Brother (turkey slapping)
incident was all about, you have got an unregulated space," she said.

"What we are trying to do is to make it consistent, practical, not onerous for anyone
... the snapshot we took from consultations has thrown up the fact that there needs to
be a better look at making sure that there are not these barriers."

AAP mb/lh/bwl

KEYWORD: ONLINE

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