M
WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1987
FILM REGULATIONS BALANCE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS WITH COMMUNITY INTERESTS
*****
REGULATIONS
STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN TO MAINTAIN PUBLIC THE OTHER, THE THE LEGISLATIVE
THE FILM CENSORSHIP INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS ON THE ONE HAND AND THE NEED ORDER, SECURITY AND THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY ON TOLD HON MICHAEL THOMAS, ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY),
TO
HE SAID IT WAS THE APPROACH OF THESE REGULATIONS WHICH GAVE
NOT DISAPPROVE A FILM FOR A CENSOR A DISCRETION, FOR HE MIGHT
THERE WAS A LIKELIHOOD EXHIBITION UNLESS IN HIS CONSIDERED OPINION
GOOD RELATIONS WITH THAT ITS SHOWING IN A PUBLIC PLACE WOULD DAMAGE OTHER TERRITORIES.
PUT FORWARD IN RESPONSE TO THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE ARGUMENTS
WOULD REGULATIONS
BREACH PROPOSED THAT THE BY THE HON MARTIN LEE
AND ON CIVIL COVENANT
POLITICAL ARTICLE 19 OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DEBATE WAS WHETHER THE RIGHTS, MR THOMAS SAID THE QUESTION OF THE
FILMS COULD FAIRLY BE PROPOSED POWER TO RESTRICT THE EXHIBITION OF REGARDED AS FALLING WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE RESTRICTIONS PERMITTED ARTICLE 19.
BY
AND THE "THE RIGHTS IN ARTICLE 19, THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS VIEWS
OTHERWISE, CAN NEVER RIGHT TO RECEIVE THEM, IN THE FORM OF FILMS OR BE ABSOLUTE OR UNLIMITED.
OF
A VARIETY OF WAYS "THEY ARE ORDINARILY RESTRICTED BY LAW IN
PROTECT THE INTERESTS THAT ARE FREELY ACCEPTED: FOR EXAMPLE TO OTHERS, OR TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
"SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE CLEARLY CONTEMPLATED BY ARTICLE 19."
IN ARTICLE 19 FOR FIRST ONE
THAT
REFERRING TO THE THREE CRITERIA LAID DOWN THE RESTRICTIONS IT PERMITTED MR THOMAS SAID THE
WAS CLEARLY SATISFIED. THEY MUST BE PROVIDED BY LAW
"WE ARE DEBATING A RESTRICTION WHICH REGULATIONS THAT MAY HAVE THE FORCE OF LAW,
THE
TY
HAVE WILL HE EXPLAINED.
EFFECT UNDER
RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED
MUST
THE SECOND CRITERION WAS THAT SERVE THE PURPOSES MENTIONED IN ARTICLE 19, WHICH INCLUDED RESPECT OF
OF PROTECTION OR THE RIGHTS SECURITY OR OF PUBLIC ORDER, OTHERWISE INTERPRETED AS ORDRE PUBLIC.
REPUTATIONS
OF
OTHERS
AND
NATIONAL
THE
"IT IS THE CONSIDERED VIEW OF THE ADMINISTRATION, BASED ON
A FILM THAT ADVICE WE HAVE RECEIVED THAT IF THE CENSOR WERE TO BAN
WITH OTHER RELATIONS ΤΟ
GOOD DAMAGE THE CENSOR
DECISION TERRITORIES, AND THEREFORE WARRANTED RESTRICTION, HIS FALL WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THOSE PURPOSES,"
THOUGHT LIKELY
WOULD
/MR THOMAS