Canberra - People caught in Northern Territory aboriginal communities with five or more pornographic videos or magazines will be considered traffickers and could face up to two years in prison.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough yesterday introduced into Parliament the draft laws underpinning the federal Government's radical intervention
into Northern Territory aboriginal communities.
One element of the legislation is a ban on X-rated films and Category 1 and Category 2 pornographic books and magazines.
Unlike existing offences in the territory, the ban applies to possessing prohibited material without the intention to copy or sell it.
"The Little Children are Sacred report revealed the availability of pornography in Northern Territory communities is a factor contributing to child sexual abuse, being used to groom children for sex, and desensitising children to violence and inappropriate sexual behaviour," Brough told Parliament.
People caught in possession of "level one" prohibited material will face a fine of up to A$5500 ($6240). Those in possession of "level two" material will face a fine of up to A$11,000.
But people caught in possession of five or more prohibited items will be automatically considered traffickers, even if they are not seeking financial gain out of supplying the material.
Those people will face penalties of up to two years' imprisonment and fines of more than A$20,000.
The bill would also ban delivering or sending prohibited pornographic material into the communities, Brough said.
"And this ban applies no matter where material is being sent from - from within the Northern Territory or from other parts of Australia such as the adult DVD industry based in the Australian Capital Territory," the minister said.
"We have to stop material at its source, by preventing mail order companies sending material into a community, as well as residents or visitors sending or taking material into a community.
- AAP
