Minister launches New Zealand Censorship Database - Office of Film and Literature Classification

10 December 2004

Last night the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon George Hawkins, launched the New Zealand Censorship Database (NZCD). Speaking at the launch, hosted by the Chief Censor Bill Hastings, Mr Hawkins noted that the database allows people to search for any classification issued by the Office of Film and Literature Classification since it was established in 1994.

The database also carries the decisions of the Indecent Publications Tribunal from 1963 to 1994. The NZCD is a work in progress and when it is finished, it will include records of the Video Recordings Authority (1987 to 1993) and the records of the Chief Censor of Films dating back to 1916. These records are currently held in handwritten form in a variety of books, binders, cards and cupboards. When completed it will be the most comprehensive national censorship database in the world.

Mr Hawkins thanked the staff of the Office who had given up their spare time to work on the database and acknowledged that this work was carried out without additional taxpayer funding.

“The NZCD is a valuable resource and I encourage students, parents, teachers and anyone with an interest in the censorship in New Zealand to use it” Mr Hawkins said.

The NZCD is accessible from the Office’s website www.censorship.govt.nz

ENDS

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