Chief Censor prepares for changes

Chief Censor Alfred Morris is preparing for the day the amendments to the Films and Censorship Act 1985 come into effect.
The Times spoke to Morris on Friday afternoon.
The amendments were assented to by the Queen’s Representative on 18 April 2008 and take effect four months after the signing which is 18 August 2008.
The amendments clarify coverage in respect of DVDs which were not specifically referred to in the 1985 Act and give the Censor powers to appoint Inspectors and delegate powers or functions to Inspectors. The Censor may also determine whether a film is a counterfeit or a pirate copy and seize and destroy such films. Penalties increase from a maximum of $500 to a maximum of $5,000. Current fees remain the same at this stage but may be reviewed and increased in future.
Morris said copies unauthorized by the film industry do not bear the special stamp. He also said unauthorized copies (pirated copies) often contain added material not on the original.
Outlets which make their own copies of authorized copies are breaking the law said Morris unless they have been authorized by the film industry to make copies.
Morris said authorized copies can be obtained for between $9 and $25 each whereas pirated copies may be purchased for example from Fiji for $10 for 20 copies.
He advised he will be getting one assistant initially and mentioned that at the industry meeting last month, stakeholders acknowledged that he needed at least three staff for his office to function properly.
Morris is in the process of considering his needs in respect of setting up his office properly.
Now in his seventh year as Censor, Morris said it would take him 6 months to properly train up an Inspector in all aspects of the job.
At the time the Times visited his office, he had condemned five DVDs and these were marked for destruction.
Morris advised that so far this year he has seized an destroyed 258 DVDs.

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