DESTINY NEW ZEALAND POLITICAL PARTY

David Knight – Candidate for Hutt South

PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

13 August 2005

Destiny - Pornographic Game’s Rating A Disgrace

Destiny New Zealand Communications Spokesman David Knight says the R16 classification of the game where players take on the persona of Hugh Hefner to try and build a porn empire is a disgrace.

“What amazes me is that the manufacturer rated the game as suitable for those over the age of 18. It’s ironic that those with the most to gain from lenient censorship would appear to be more vigilant than our own censorship office,” say Mr Knight.

Players of the game try to recruit subjects for nude centrefold photo shoots. The game also contains links to the Playboy website.

“We fully support the Society for the Protection of Community Standards on this issue,” said Mr Knight. “The Chief Censors Office has got this wrong. They admit that in the game ‘Women in general are demeaned and dehumanised by the way they are depicted… They are presented as objects of sexual fantasy readily available to be manipulated and presented solely for this purpose. They are stereotyped as young and attractive with idealised body shapes. Hefner can easily manipulate them to have sex by engaging in romantic talk and giving them gifts. These presentations … are intended for the sexual titillation of male players….’”

Mr Knight fully supports Destiny New Zealand’s policy which aims to implement stringent censorship restrictions pertaining to violence and sexually explicit material on all communication mediums. “When the Chief Censors Office admits that women are demeaned and dehumanised in a game, they have an obligation to act accordingly. Putting this kind of material in the hands of school aged children is not just irresponsible, it is totally unacceptable.”

Destiny New Zealand’s policies can be viewed on www.destinynz.org.nz

ENDS

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