XN000022-1986-07-30 — Page 55

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1986

52

DRAFT BILL PREPARED FOR CURBING PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS

*****

PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN DRAFT LEGISLATION TO STRENGTHEN CONTROLS OVER PORNOGRAPHIC ARTICLES ENVISAGE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JUDICIAL PROCESS WITH COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, THE HON DONALD LIAO, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HUI YIN-FAT, MR LIAO SAID +UPON THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL IN PRINCIPLE OF MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN THE CONTROLS OVER PORNOGRAPHIC ARTICLES IN APRIL THIS YEAR, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS COMPLETED DRAFTING WORK ON A NEW BILL.+

+ THE NEXT STEP IS TO FURTHER CONSULT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE AND, SUBJECT TO ITS ADVICE, A DRAFT BILL WILL BE PUBLISHED.+

+ THE PROPOSALS ENVISAGE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JUDICIAL PROCESS, INVOLVING LAY PERSONS, TO CLASSIFY INTO CATEGORIES ARTICLES SUBMITTED.+

MR LIAO NOTED THAT BOTH THE PUBLISHER AND THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE ABLE TO OBTAIN A SPEEDY CLASSIFICATION WITH THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATING IN THE SIFTING PROCESS.

+THESE MEASURES SHOULD MEET MUCH OF THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERN THAT THERE SHOULD BE CONTROL OF THE PUBLICATION OF PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS, + HE SAID,

+DETAILS OF THE DRAFT LEGISLATION MUST, HOWEVER, AWAIT THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.+

COMPLEX ISSUES ARISE FROM NEGLIGENCE CLAIMS

*****

THE GOVERNMENT WILL NEED A GREAT DEAL MORE INFORMATION BEFORE COMING TO ANY FIRM CONCLUSIONS CONCERNING QUESTIONS ARISING FROM THE INCREASING TREND IN NEGLIGENCE CLAIMS AGAINST PROFESSIONALS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON JEREMY MATHEWS, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LEE YU-TAI, MR MATHEWS SAID THE ISSUES WERE COMPLEX AND IT MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO EXAMINE THE POSITION OF THE VARIOUS PROFESSIONS SEPARATELY.

/MR LEE