Into the River banned: Award-winning sex and drugs teen novel off the shelves
NZ Herald 7 September 2015
New Zealand’s censorship review board has slapped an interim ban on a book for the first time since the current law was passed 22 years ago, potentially igniting a new wave of restrictions on sexually explicit books.
The president of the Film and Literature Board of Review, Dr Don Mathieson, QC, has issued the Interim Restriction Order banning the sale or distribution of Auckland author Ted Dawe’s award-winning novel for teenagers Into the River until the full board can consider whether the book should be restricted.
Family First director Bob McCoskrie, who requested the review, said the interim order – the first affecting a book under the Films, Videos and Publications Classification Act 1993 – showed people could still use the censorship system.
“Hopefully we have set a precedent and people start bringing other books to the fore that they are concerned about.”
Freedom of expression needed to be weighed against the need to protect the public good and young people, he said.
“Where a book is targeted at teenagers it needed to be language and theme appropriate.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/books/news/article.cfm?c_id=134&objectid=11508895
Racy teen novel Into the River banned after Family First complaint
Stuff co.nz 7 September 2015
An award-winning Kiwi novel has been banned after a complaint by conservatives, potentially sparking a wave of new restrictions on books with sexually explicit content.
The teen novel Into the River by Auckland author Ted Dawe has gone through a considerable censorship battle.
The interim ban makes it a crime to supply, display, or distribute the book in any way – if one knows about the order. Individuals and organisations who knowingly supply the banned book are liable of fines of up to $3000 and $10,000 respectively. The ban includes schools and libraries.
It is the first time an interim ban has been imposed on a book since the current law was passed 22 years ago.
Conservative lobbying group Family First, who pushed for the review and an R18 restriction, applauded the decision.
“We’ve empowered parents to start expressing their concerns about books more,” leader Bob McCoskrie said. “We believe the censor is out of touch with material parents don’t want their kids to be reading.”
McCoskrie supported a wider move to a film-like sticker rating system for books.
“We do it for movies so why not books? I think to be honest parents expect this to be happening.”
“These books can exert a significant influence. We just think its about age appropriateness.”
Family First claim the censor has received over 400 letters from concerned parents.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/books/71797069/Racy-teen-novel-Into-the-River-banned-after-Family-First-complaint
‘Explicit’ teen novel gets blacklisted by NZ censors – so it’s now illegal to sell it
OneNewsNow 7 September 2015
Ted Dawe’s coming-of-age novel Into the River has been black-listed by the Film and Literature Board of Review at the request of conservative family values group Family First.
It’s the latest twist for a book embroiled in a back-and forth censorship battle since controversially taking out top prize in the 2013 NZ Post Children’s Book Awards.
In a strongly worded order, review board president Dr Don Mathieson said he had accepted the concerns of Family First and the hundreds of families who wrote to the censor’s office to protest the content, themes and availability of the book.
Bob McCoskrie, national director of Family First, said the decision was appropriate for a book “laced with detailed descriptions of sex acts, coarse language and scenes of drug-taking”.
He said it was most significant the review board agreed with Family First’s concerns that the lack of classification would set a dangerous precedent.
“Our concern was that the classification will …. exert a significant influence upon other decisions portraying teenage sex and drug-taking,” Mr McCoskrie said.
Family First would now prepare a submission to the review board that includes 400 complaints made to the censor about the book’s content.
Under the interim ban it was now illegal to sell or supply the book anywhere in New Zealand.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/-explicit-teen-novel-gets-blacklisted-by-nz-censors-so-it-s-now-illegal-to-sell-q09423
‘Will I be burnt next?’ – Into the River author Ted Dawe on book banning
NZ Herald 7 September 2015
The author of the first book to be banned in New Zealand for at least 22 years is asking: “Will I be burnt next?”
Ted Dawe, 64, the head of studies at Taylors College for international students in Auckland, is the unlikely subject of the first interim restriction order on a book under the Films, Videos and Publications Classification Act 1993.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/books/news/article.cfm?c_id=134&objectid=11509128
Book banned after Christian complaint
Radio NZ News 7 September 2015
The author of an award-winning young adults book says he is appalled it has been banned after a complaint from a Christian lobby group.
The Film and Literature Board of Review has placed an interim restriction order on Into The River, by Auckland author Ted Dawe, meaning it cannot be sold, lent or displayed by anyone.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/283482/book-banned-after-christian-complaint
Family First get book banned pending review
NewsTalk ZB 7 September 2015
An award-winning but controversial children’s book has been taken off the selves while its classification is reviewed.
Family First New Zealand won its bid for an Interim Restriction Order for ‘Into the River’ by Ted Dawe.
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/family-first-get-book-banned-pending-review/
Award-winning book banned in NZ
Otago Daily Times 7 September 2015
The author of the first book to be banned in New Zealand for at least 22 years is asking: “Will I be burnt next?”
His book for teenagers, Into the River, won top prize in New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards in 2013. But it has been banned from sale or supply under the order issued by the president of the Film and Literature Board of Review, Don Mathieson, QC.
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/354984/award-winning-book-banned-nz
Banned book removed from library
SunLive 7 September 2015
The only copy of a now banned book has been removed from Tauranga City Library’s young adult’s section and ‘put aside’ says city libraries manager Jill Best.
The award-winning Kiwi novel Into The River by Auckland author Ted Dawe has been banned following complaints regarding sexually explicit content.
http://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/108736-banned-book-removed-from-library.html
Teen novel prompts first New Zealand book ban in decades
Yahoo News 7 September 2015
New Zealand censors sparked outrage on Monday after banning an award-winning teen novel that includes sex and bullying, making it the first book removed from shelves in more than two decades.
Auckland author Ted Dawe said he was “blindsided” by the ban on his coming-of-age story “Into the River”, which won the New Zealand Post children’s book of the year in 2013.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/29456950/teen-novel-prompts-first-new-zealand-book-ban-in-decades/
Teen book stripped from shelves
SkyNews 7 September 2015
An award-winning teen book has been stripped from New Zealand library and bookshop shelves after been hit with an interim ban for explicit content.
Ted Dawe’s coming-of-age novel Into the River has been black-listed by the NZ Film and Literature Board of Review at the request of conservative family values group Family First.
http://www.skynews.com.au/news/world/asiapacific/2015/09/07/teen-book-stripped-from-shelves.html
Award-winning teen book Into the River banned in New Zealand
3News 7 September 2015
An award-winning teen book has been stripped from library and bookshop shelves after been hit with an interim ban for explicit content.
Ted Dawe’s coming-of-age novel Into the River has been black-listed by the Film and Literature Board of Review at the request of conservative family values group Family First.
http://www.3news.co.nz/entertainment/award-winning-teen-book-into-the-river-banned-in-new-zealand-2015090711#axzz3l66RLpkX
‘There’re way worse things on the internet’ – racy novel’s ban puzzles teens
OneNewsNow 8 September 2015
Some teenagers say they can’t understand why a book aimed at them which features scenes of sex and drug-taking has been banned when they could access more explicit content on the internet if they wanted to.
Auckland public libraries had asked the censor to lift restrictions on the award-winning Kiwi novel Into The River by Ted Dawe, provoking a Family First-sponsored review, and the interim banning of the book.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/-there-re-way-worse-things-on-the-internet-racy-novel-s-ban-puzzles-teens-q09521
Young adult novel Into the River banned in New Zealand over ‘sexual content and drug taking’
The Independent 8 September 2015
An award-winning young adult novel has been banned in New Zealand following complaints about the book’s depiction of drug taking and sexual content.
