Page 1006 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 26 July 1989
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particularly violent series of videos one day, which stirred him up, and he then attacked a Catholic primary school with a hammer, terrifying the children, chasing a few of them, and hitting and injuring two of them, luckily not terribly seriously. They certainly were rather lucky, given that a hammer was used. He was finally apprehended by a very civic-minded bus driver and a passenger on the bus, who just happened to see what was happening as he was at the school.
He terrified the children, terrified the teachers, all of whom were women, and he caused a lot of damage to the school. He was disturbed. He was spoken to at length by the police and by psychiatrists. His case was put before the court. By his own admission and by his doctor's evidence and, as the welfare report and the psychiatric evidence indicated, whatever motivated him to do it initially, it had been exacerbated by the violent videos he had seen. He was in the habit of watching violent videos and got his kicks out of watching them. That is just one case locally.
Studies have been made by the Australian Institute of Criminology which indicate that excessively violent videos do cause a large number of problems and, to a lesser extent, there have been problems as a result of the very lewd X-rated videos. But I certainly would not put them - - -
Mr Moore: What sorts of problems? Do people go out and practise erotica themselves?
MR STEFANIAK: No, but in relation to X-rated videos there have been some instances in which they could say that has led to a sexual crime, but certainly not to the extent of excessively violent videos. The violent videos are the main problem, and I make no bones about that. There is no evidence in the ACT in relation to the pure X-rated, erotic videos, but certainly related to violent videos we even have evidence here before us, and I think that is highly disconcerting when that comes out of the ACT.
It was proposed by the Chief Minister to put a 20 per cent tax on these films. I think the question of the X-rated industry and certainly again the more violent films coming out of this Territory really does have to be looked at by this Assembly. I feel the Government should introduce legislation banning the sale, distribution and exhibition of those unsavoury films.
Again, I would agree that the problem is more the violent films than the pure sexual X-rated films, but I think that has to be looked at. It has to be looked at as a matter of urgency. Accordingly, I commend the amendment I have circulated, which is now technically correct, so I am advised.
MR SPEAKER: I still do not have a copy.
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