Here is the email received by the Society for Promotion of Community Standards Inc. (SPCS) from Herald on Sunday reporter Andre Hueber on Friday April 29, 2011 at 10.38 AM regarding LA Zombie, a film we were told was that was prevented from being screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival in July 2010. The Festival organisers had proposed to screen it, but the necessary ‘exemption’ for screening an unclassified film was not granted in that instance (pers. comm. Paul Tenison, Acting Applications Manager, Classification Branch, Australian Attorney General’s Department).
Orcon millionaire loses appeal – fined and banned
ENTREPRENEUR Seeby Woodhouse has been disqualified from driving after allegedly driving his Maserati at more than 170kmh near Taupo. [Read more…]
Orcon millionaire appeals 174 kmh speeding conviction
PLAYBOY millionaire Seeby [Thomas Finnegan] Woodhouse has appealed against a dangerous driving conviction, after he was snapped [by a traffic officer’s speed camera] doing more than 170kmh.
Woodhouse, the founder of telecommunications giant Orcon and former Young Entrepreneur of the Year, was caught on Boxing Day 2009 travelling at 174kmh in a 100kmh zone. [Read more…]
Porn tycoon Steve Crow pleads not guilty – TV ONE NEWS – 5 April
“Controversial businessman Steve [Stephen Peter] Crow has pleaded not guilty to a charge of breaching a ban on managing companies in court in Auckland this afternoon [April 5, 2011].
“The Ministry of Economic Development imposed the four-year ban last year, following the collapse of several companies linked to Crow, best known as the organiser of Auckland’s Boobs on Bikes parade.
“The ministry alleges Crow was involved in the management and promotion of Eden Digital Ltd, the company that runs several firms with links to the sex industry, including the annual Erotica expo, and adult entertainment company Vixen. [Eden Digital Ltd currently has only one listed director, John M Carr CPA, whose US-registered corporation Better Business Services, Inc owns the domain namesof a number of hard core porn websites].
“Crow says he is only a shareholder in Eden Digital. [However, based on the most recent Annual Return on the NZ Companies Office website, registered on 11 June 2010, ALL Eden Digital’s shares (150,000) are owned by CVC Group Ltd directed by John Malcolm Carr CPA].
“An Auckland District Court judge today set a date for a full [defended] hearing in September [12, 13 and 14 September].” [Crow’s indication of sentence hearing was set down for 27 April at 10 am at the Auckland District Court. This will be his last opportunity to plead guilty prior to the defended hearing].
Source: http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/porn-tycoon-pleads-not-guilty-4102067
Slavery at sea exposed – Sunday Star Times
Alerted to terrible conditions on foreign-crewed fishing vessels after nearly 30 people lost their lives, Michael Field began asking questions. [It appears from his research that New Zealand government officials have been turning a blind eye to moral corruption and human rights abuses in the fishing industry for years… read on].
SECRET PAPERS obtained under the Official Information Act reveal the government has allowed fishermen from poor countries to be exploited in New Zealand waters. New Zealand officials have long been aware of the slave labour and conditions but there have been no prosecutions…. Workers are fishing in rusting boats turned into high seas sweatshops that take large parts of the country’s $1.4 billion-a-year catch.
The government papers reveal that thousands of men from poor areas are beaten and forced to work for days without rest, earning between $260 and $460 a month before paying much of it over to “agents”. Chief executive of Nelson’s Talley’s Fisheries, Peter Peter Talley, said the government knew what was happening but had responded only by setting basic standards for onboard observers. “They do not care about the Filipinos, Indonesians and Ukrainians on the vessels.”
Full story: Slavery at sea exposed by Michael Field. Sunday Star Times, 3 April 2011. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4841777/Slavery-at-sea-exposed