Australia's Labor Government Touts Censorship Reform

Australia's Labor Government Touts Censorship Reform

CANBERRA, Australia — The Australian government yesterday released a review of the nation’s content rating system for audiovisual material and games, proposing an end to the country’s censorship of certain fetishes and some instances of violence in pornography.

The government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of the Labor Party, published the results of a report that was completed in May 2020 but was not prioritized at the time by the conservative administration of then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison of the Liberal Party.

The classification review recommended that in the film guidelines, “absolute prohibitions on legal fetishes and violence (where violence is unrelated to sex) within the X18+ category should be removed.”

According to The Guardian, Australia “has long refused to classify films combining sex and violence, effectively banning films such as ‘Ken Park,’ Larry Clark’s tale of degraded skatepark life, and pornography that depicts violence separate to sex.”

The 2008 Digital Playground title “Pirates II: Stagnetti’s Revenge” became part of the Australian debate over media classification when Reason party leader Fiona Patten pointed out that the big-budget title “had been banned because of depictions of pirates having sword-fights.”

The review also agreed with the Classification Board, the Eros Association and the Scarlet Alliance, all of which filed statements in support of overturning the current absolute censorship of consensual fetish content.

“Departmental research into attitudes towards refused classification content shows that the community is unconcerned about depictions of most fetishes, as long as there is consent, and no serious harm is inflicted,” the review noted. “Similarly, depictions of violence that are not directly linked to sexual activity do not appear to be of particular concern.”

Australian scholar Jarryd Bartle, a regular local source on sex work issues, told The Guardian that under current X18+ guidelines, “the depiction of consensual dripping of candle wax on a person’s body would be banned.”

The Specter of Unclassified Online Content

The review also endorsed the ongoing and controversial attempts by the country’s head censor, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, to implement age verification specifically targeting “online pornographic sites.”

As XBIZ reported, Inman Grant acknowledged having conversations with the U.S.-based, religiously inspired anti-porn lobby NCOSE (formerly Morality in Media) while drafting her policies.

Rowland said that upcoming reforms “will update the classification system to respond to the large volume of online content that is not compliant with the current scheme,” the Guardian reported. “The government intends to expand options for industry to self-classify content, making it simpler and more cost effective for the film, streaming and games industries to classify their content in line with Australian classification guidelines.”

The Albanese government, the Communications Minister added, “will consult with industry and other key stakeholders on broader reform of the scheme in due course.”

Australia does not have an analogue to the U.S. First Amendment, which offers expansive protections to free speech.

.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Ofcom Releases Transparency Reporting Guidelines

Ofcom, the U.K. media regulator, has made public its official guidance detailing how online service providers — including adult sites — will be required to publish annual transparency reports on their efforts to protect children from online harms.

New AV Rules Take Effect for Ireland-Based Sites

Ireland’s Online Safety Code came into force Monday, including a provision requiring adult sites headquartered in Ireland to implement age assurance measures beyond self-declaration.

XBIZ Amsterdam Calls on New Startups for 'Spotlight' Program

XBIZ is pleased to announce that its new “Startup Spotlight” programming will make its European premiere at XBIZ Amsterdam 2025, set to take place Sept. 2-5 at the Jakarta Hotel Amsterdam.

Texas Resumes AV Lawsuit Against Aylo Following SCOTUS Decision

A district court judge in Texas has unfrozen the state’s $1.6 million lawsuit against Aylo for allegedly failing to comply with age verification requirements, Bloomberg Law is reporting.

JuicyAds Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

JuicyAds has won its World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) case against a website using a similar domain to impersonate the company's site and defraud customers.

Anissa Kate, Jordan Starr Top AEBN for Q2 of 2025

AEBN has published its top-selling stars for the second quarter of 2025, with Anissa Kate landing atop the leaderboard for straight theaters and Jordan Starr heading up the gay rankings.

AEBN Reveals Eva Maxim as Top Trans Star for Q2 of 2025

AEBN has published its top trans stars list for the second quarter of 2025, with Eva Maxim landing atop the leaderboard.

France Reinstates Age Verification Rule for EU Sites

France’s highest court, the Council of State, on Tuesday reinstated age verification rules for EU-based sites under the country’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law, ruling in favor of the French government and against Hammy Media.

Show More