Into the River ban lifted by Film and Literature Board
Stuff co.nz 14 October 2015
The New Zealand Film and Literature Board has lifted the ban on Ted Dawe’s controversial teen novel Into the River.
In a decision that was far from unanimous, the president of the board expressed the collective felt the actions of the censor were “illegal”.
Board president Don Mathieson delivered a dissenting minority report but the remainder of the board voted to allow the book to be sold without restriction, saying a previous ban on under-14s was no longer justified.
The conservative campaign group Family First are outraged at the decision, with national director Bob McCoskrie describing the ruling a “loss” for New Zealand families.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/73017920/into-the-river-ban-lifted
Controversial Kiwi novel Into the River gets unrestricted label after review
OneNewsNow 14 October 2015
The Film and Literature Board of Review has classified the controversial Kiwi novel Into the River as unrestricted, noting other polarising works of fiction such as the Hunger Games and 50 Shades of Grey are freely available.
Ted Dawe’s novel was pulled from shelves after Don Mathieson, QC, the president of the Film and Literature Board of Review, placed an interim ban on the book.
Today, the board released its judgement regarding the classification of the novel and said while “there can be no doubt that the book describes, depicts and otherwise deals with matters such as sex, crime, cruelty and violence”, it did not breach the threshold required to permanently ban it.
Family First NZ condemned the decision of the board and said it had succumbed to “pressure from the book industry”, despite Dawe’s “highly offensive and gratuitous language, adult themes and graphic sexual content”.
“A dangerous precedent has been set and parents will now feel disempowered and that their concerns will be ignored regarding similar books,” Family First national director Bob McCoskrie said.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/controversial-kiwi-novel-into-the-river-gets-unrestricted-label-after-review-q15557
Into the River book ban lifted
NZ Herald 14 October 2015
A ban on Auckland schoolteacher Ted Dawe’s controversial teen novel Into the River has been lifted by the New Zealand Film and Literature Board.
In a majority decision released today, the board said it no longer considers a ban on under-14s justifiable.
Although the book describes a number of “unacceptable, offensive and objectionable” behaviours, the board said the book “does not in any way promote them”.
The book, which features sexually explicit content, drug use and use of slang for female genitalia, is now classified as unrestricted.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/arts-literature/news/article.cfm?c_id=18&objectid=11529170
