Stirling Griff (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) condemns child exploitation material of any kind and through any medium;

(b) acknowledges that Japanese anime (animation) and manga (graphic novels) are visual mediums which share a unique style in which some media depict children in explicit sexual activities, poses and even being sexually abused;

(c) notes that:

(i) Japanese anime and manga depicting scenes and images of child abuse is readily available for sale at retail outlets, online and for consumption on streaming services in Australia,

(ii) certain anime containing child abuse material has received classification by the Classification Board, allowing it to be imported and sold in Australia, and

(iii) explicit manga is currently not vetted by the Classification Board;

(d) recognises that the Commonwealth Criminal Code Act 1995 prohibits the sale, production, possession and distribution of offensive and abusive material “that depicts a person or a representation of a person who is or appears to be under 18”; and

(e) calls on the Federal Government to:

(i) ensure the current Review of Australian Classification Regulation considers how the Classification Board deals with child abuse depictions in animation and considers extending its oversight to printed materials, and

(ii) facilitate the removal of all such child abuse material in animation and print, as a matter of urgency.

Question agreed to.