The Dominion Post
May 9 2006 (p. A4)
By ANNA CHALMERS
The reappointment of a government censorship board has been met with dismay by a community watchdog, which has called the process a “sham”.
Internal Affairs Minister Rick Barker announced yesterday that all eight existing members of the Film and Literature Board of Review would stay on.
But Society for the Promotion of Community Standards spokesman David Lane said the appointments contradicted the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act, which stipulated members could not serve on the board for more than six years.
After the reappointment of president Claudia Elliott till March 31, 2009, she, and other members, would have served up to nine years, Mr Lane said.
“It’s completely against the spirit of the law. This is just another rush decision by a minister who does not follow proper processes.”
Jobs for all but one of the nine members of the board expired in May 2004 after an initial three-year term. The Government has already come under fire for the two-year gap in reappointing members, or making replacements.
A spokesman for Mr Barker said the members’ term of office had been taken into consideration. “The department will have made the consideration against the legislative requirements. It would have been satisfied that it would have been okay for the minister to go ahead.”
The spokesman said reappointment delays had been caused by a review of the act, which included considering reducing board numbers, followed by the election last year.
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3661743a11,00.html
Link to an announcement just made by the Minister’s office
see: http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.aspx?DocumentID=25672
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