FED: One in seven adults want Lolita banned poll

AAP General News (Australia)
04-18-1999
FED: One in seven adults want Lolita banned poll

CANBERRA, April 18 AAP - About one in seven Australian adults wanted the controversial film
Lolita banned, according to Roy Morgan poll.

But 82 per cent of respondents opposed individual politicians using their influence to
override the censors' decision in movies such as Lolita.

The poll, commissioned by the sex industry group Eros Foundation, found that 14 per cent of
adults surveyed wanted the movie portrayal of a paedophile's sexual relationship with his
14-year-old stepdaughter banned.

Opposition to the movie was lowest in Tasmania, home state of influential censorship
campaigner Senator Brian Harradine, where only 10 per cent wanted it banned.

Publisher of the Adult Industry Review, Australia's sex industry journal, Robbie Swan said
the survey revealed strong opposition to Senator Harradine's undue influence on censorship
questions.

"The survey absolutely refutes Senator Harradine's claims that there is widespread public
dissatisfaction with the amount and levels of sex in Australian media and entertainment," Mr
Swan said.

"In the light of these results the government will cement widespread and deeply rooted
cynicism among ordinary voters if it gives into Senator Harradine's demands on censorship as a
trade-off for his vote on the GST."

The telephone survey of 1,000 adults on April 14 found 72 per cent said X-rated videos
should be available from licensed adult book stores - but 41.8 per cent said erotic telephone
services should be banned.

AAP rmg/cjh/de

KEYWORD: LOLITA (CARRIED EARLIER)

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