AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

FILM CLASSIFICATION ORDINANCE 1971

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

No. 25 of 1971

	In accordance with an agreement made earlier this year between the States and the Commonwealth relating to the classification of films, it is proposed to introduce a new Ordinance to implement film classifications in the Australian Capital Territory.

	Under the Ordinance, classifications which have been given to films by the Chief Commonwealth Film Censor will be adopted for the purposes of informing cinema patrons of the nature of films and imposing certain requirements upon exhibitors of films.

	The proposed classifications are –

	“G”	-	for general exhibition (advisory only)
	“NRC”	-	not recommended for children (advisory only)
	“M”	-	for mature audiences (advisory only) and
	“R”	-	for restricted exhibition (compulsory).

	Films classified ‘G”, “NRC” and “M” may be exhibited to any person, whilst those classified “R” are not to be exhibited to persons between six and eighteen years of age.

	The onus of ensuring that films classified “R” are not exhibited otherwise than in accordance with the Ordinance will lie on the manager of the cinema exhibiting the film and on persons receiving or entitled to receive any of the profits of the exhibition.

	It will be a defence to a prosecution for breach of this requirement that the person charged –

-	took all reasonable precautions to avoid the breach; and

-	had reasonable grounds for believing that the person admitted was not between the ages mentioned.

          R.J.H.
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(Minister’s Initials)