SPCS

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS INC.

Porn research awarded $790,000 by Marsden Fund

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Auckland researchers have been awarded almost $800,000 to study pornography. The $790,000 study by Auckland University staff will look at how it affects viewers and its impact on society. The research will include studies on young men and women, an art exhibition, an interactive website and a public symposium. The project is one of 88 nationwide to receive a slice of $53.8 million handed out in Marsden Fund Grants last month. Marsden Fund Council chairman Professor Peter Hunter said a scientific study of the impact of pornography on vulnerable members of society “in the age of easy availability” was extremely important.

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/12004926/porn-study-grant-worth-790-000/

Comment: One of the objects for which the Society for Promotion of Community Standards Inc., (“SPCS”) was established was to focus public attention on the harmful nature of pornography. For the purposes of section 3 of the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 (“the Act”), “a publication is objectionable if it descibes, depicts, expresses, or otherwise deals with matters of sex, horror, crime, cruelty, or violence in such a manner that the availabliity of the publication is likely to be injurious to the public good.”

The Act recognises that children and young persons, in particular, are vulnerable to the harmful effects of exposure to pornography – hence age restrictions are imposed by the censors on poronographic publications and others are banned. The “extent and degree to which, and the manner in which the publication depicts…  sexual conduct of a degrading or dehumanising or demeaning sexual conduct” is one criterion used to determine whether or not it is to be classified objectionable.

Family First NZ, a charity registered with the Charities Commission, has also been at the forefront of highlighting the offensive nature of hardcore pornograhy and documenting how it is injurious to the public good.

Denise Richie, director of Stop the Demand Foundation, another charity registered with the Charities Commission, put it this way, in her submission to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) , as part of  her complaint against a “mobile billboard” displayed prominently in a public place – promoting the Erotica Lifestyles Expo:

“The image is designed to simulate a woman with her fingers in her [******] It is standard Steve Crow fare, with its focus on dehumanising women and reducing them to their genitalia”. (ASA decision dated 14/09/2010 concerning complaint 10/448).

(Eden Digital Ltd, directed up until recently by John Malcolm Carr, which owned the license for Erotica Lifestyles Expo, was put into liquidation on 22 November 2011).

The Society (SPCS), as part of its objects, seeks “to support freedom of expression which does not injure the public good by degrading, dehumanising or demeaning individuals or classes of people.” Hardcore pornography has the effect degrading, dehumanising and demeaning women. Its negative impact on viewers of such material has been well-documented in the literature.

 

 

Eden Digital Ltd, former holder of Erotica Lifestyles Expo license: – in liquidation

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Eden Digital Ltd, a company that sold and distributed hardcore pornography in New Zealand for over three years and until recently was directed by US investor John Malcolm Carr CPA, was placed into liquidation yesterday, 22 November 2011, under s. 241(2)(a) of the Companies Act 1993.

See: US-based critic of economy [John M Carr CPA: (see photo http://www.carr.co.nz/images/jmc.jpg ) has lots more to say

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=154653

The majority of the estimated total deficit of Eden Digital Ltd (Co. No. 2122974), $434,000, is owed to the NZ Inland Revenue Department: $147,000 in GST/PAYE (IRD is a preferential creditor) and  $148,000 owed to IRD (unsecured creditor). A total of $295,000 is therefore owed to IRD.

In addition, trade creditors (unsecured) are owed $119,000 and $20,000 is owed in wages/entitlements to the companyy’s former employees. (see Liquidator’s first report published today on the Companies Office website (www.companies.govt.nz).

The report records the reasons provided by the director Mr John M Carr CPA for Eden Digital being put into into liquidation and they include:

(1) the company was in default with its financiers and demand was made on the company due to that default, (2) the company has been supported financially by related entities [all directed by John M Carr CPA] and recently their financial support was withdrawn (3) the business was recently sold and such proceeds were applied to the security holders including CVC Group Ltd directed by John M Carr CPA (see below) (4) with no remaining assets the company was unable to trade and as a result its only shareholder [CVC Group Ltd, directed by John M Carr CPA] had no option but to place the company into receivership, (5) Eden Digital Ltd that held the licence for Erotica Lifestyles Expo, cancelled the license which meant that this aspect of its business could not continue.

The Waikato Times reported on 18 November 2011 that the Hamilton City Council “had been approached by Eden Digital Media [sic] to book Claudelands [event venue] for the [Erotica Lifestyles] expo in March [2012]“.

Fortunately for the Council, its councillors voted yesterday against allowing this hardcore porn fest using council facilities, given the fact that Eden Digital Ltd was probably insolvent throughout much of the period of time that its officers entered into negotiations with the Hamilton City Council. The Liquidator will be examining such matters to determine whether or not the company director John M Carr may have committed offences under the Companies Act 1993 (eg. trading whie insolvent)..

The majority of councillors (9 to 1) took the view that it was “inappropriate” to use the Claudelands venue for the staging of porn related activities as proposed by David Bruce Crow. They voted against the Arena being used for this proposed event.

David Bruce Crow, has been reported as acting as “spokesperson” for Esprit Events Ltd (Co. No. 3648912), another company directed by John M Carr and only recently incorporated on 10 November 2011. David Crow made an approach to the Hamilton City Council seeking the use of the Claudelands event venue for the sexpo, but without success. Concerned over the moral welfare of the community, councillors voted against the proposed use of the events venue to stage and promote porn 9 to 1.

Secured creditors of Eden Digital Ltd include its shareholder, CVC Group Ltd, directed by John M Carr, Vision rentals Ltd, Solutions Group Receivables, Konica Minolta Business Solutions and Harper Collins Publishers.

Unsecured creditors include Inland Revenue; Ezisoft Computer Systems Ltd directed by David Bruce Crow and owned by his wife Carolyn Rose Crow; NZX Media Ltd, co-directed by David Bruce Crow; PJ Digital Ltd, owned and directed by John Malcolm Carr; Florida US -based Better Business Services, Inc., owned and directed by John Malcolm Carr; and the ASB Showgrounds, Epsom, Auckland – the former longtime venue for Erotica Lifestyles Expo.

All unsecured creditors are unlikely to receive anything according to the Liquidator, Grant Bruce Reynolds of Reynolds & Associates Ltd, Insolvency Practitioners of Penrose,  Auckland.

Update: Liquidatation Notice – NZ Herald Thursday 24 November 2011. The failed company was put into liquidation pursuant to section 241(2)(a) of the Companies Act 1993.

Reference

The Bob Dey Property Report (the week to 27 November 2011)

Voluntary liquidation: Steve Crow-related Eden Digital sells business, closes

http://www.propbd.co.nz/afa.asp?idWebPage=8338&idBobDeyProperty_Articles=17011&SID=1061986009

Company: Eden Digital Ltd
Directors: Raymond Simpson, Mt Eden
Liquidation: 22 November
Solvent: No
Liquidators: Grant Reynolds (Reynolds & Associates Ltd)
Other details: The company held the licence for the Erotica Lifestyle Expo, but the licence was cancelled because of defaults. The business was recently sold. Mr Simpson is a director of Bodyrock Promotions (NZ) Ltd (removed from register 2004) & Digital Matrix Ltd (removed from register 2004). Former directors are Steve Crow, Ellerslie, & John Carr, now of Cromwell. Mr Crow – best known for running the Boobs on Bikes parade down Queen St – put Malibu Media Limited (ex-Erotica Expo Ltd) & Z4K74D Ltd (ex-Vixen Direct Ltd) into liquidation in 2009. He told the liquidators wholesale adult products company Vixen Direct was hit by piracy & parallel importing over the past 2 years, while attendances for the last 2 Erotica expos in Christchurch & Wellington were down by 50%, hitting sales. Mr Crow’s Eden Media Ltd was wound up on 21 May, Brass Magazine Ltd in August 2008, Les Obstacles de l’Amour Ltd 2006. Mr Crow is a director of CVC Group Ltd, HWGA Co Ltd, Sidefx Ltd & Vixen Publications Ltd.

Erotica Lifestyles Expo rejected as unsuitable for Hamilton city

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The Hamilton City Council has turned down an approach by the organisers of the Erotica Lifestyles Expo to hold the event at Claudelands next March. [The expo was to be run by Esprit Events Ltd, directed by John Malcolm Carr and owned by CVC Group Ltd – also owned by Mr John M Carr] .

The Strategy and Policy Committee yesterday rejected the proposal, viewing the event to be held at the Council-run Claudelands events venue as unsuitable for the city. [The expo promotes hardcore pornography].

The Committee agreed that a report into the need for a policy on appropriate events to be held at Council premises, including Claudelands, and in public places was required. This report will return to the Committee early next year.

Committee chair Maria Westphal said: “We had a full discussion around the proposal to host this event, but our view was that it was not appropriate to hold it at Council’s Claudelands venue.

‘The view of most councillors was that the adult lifestyles aspect of the Expo, and the likely promotion of it with the ‘Boobs on Bikes’ parade was not a good fit with the family friendly values of our city.”

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/11941317/thumbs-down-for-erotica-lifestyles-expo/

Note: Esprit Events Ltd (Co. No. 3648912) was incorporated on 10 November 2011.  Its spokesperson in media reports on the expo has been David Bruce Crow. Its registered office is at 2b/18 Triton Drive, Albany, NSC 0632.

Erotica Expo unlikely for Claudelands Arena – Hamilton

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Jumpy city councillors appear unlikely to back a plan to bring a sex expo to Hamilton’s Claudelands Arena in March.

That’s despite the facility facing a loss of up to $1.7 million in its first year, and the recent formation of a working group to pare down its budgets and muster custom.

Expo promoters Esprit Events’ spokesman David Crow said there were misconceptions about the expo, which featured “everything from luxury cars through spa pools, candy, liquor, tattooists [and] holidays to adult products. Of course we also provide a range of entertainment, including adult, for both genders,” he said. [Espirit Events Ltd was incorporated on 10 November 2011 and is directed by John Malcolm Carr, business partner of Steve Crow, David Crow’s brother. It is owned by CVC Group Ltd which is also directed by John M Carr].

He [David Crow] expected up to 10,000 visitors at the R18 show and said the exhibition would also draw on local accommodation providers and suppliers during the course of a likely three day event.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/5996228/Erotica-expo-unlikely-for-Claudelands [Read more…]

Naked Ambition – TVNZ doco

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The new director of hardcore porn company Eden Digital Ltd, who has replaced American investor John Malcolm Carr, effective 13 September 2011, is Raymond (“Ray”) Sydney Corben Simpson – a resident of Mt Eden, Auckland (see www.companies.govt.nz).

See: US-based critic of economy [John M Carr CPA] has lots more to say

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=154653

see Photo of John M Carr http://www.carr.co.nz/images/jmc.jpg

(John M Carr CPA remains sole director of CVC Group Ltd which owns Eden Digital Ltd and he is a “business partner” of Stephen (Steve) Peter Crow. Carr directs and owns Payroll Solution Services Ltd, which was put into liquidation on the petition of the Inland Revenue Department on 2 September 2011 by the High Court of Auckland pursuant to s. 241(2)(c) of the Companies Act 1993, as well as about 30 other NZ companies. As at liquidation, Carr has advised the liquidators that Payroll Solution Services “held no realisable assets” It “provided services exclusively to companies related to the director” and “ceased to trade in April 2011”).

See: https://www.spcs.org.nz/carr-consulting-p-a-porn-company-director-john-m-carr-and-his-companies-us-shareholder-connections-unmasked/

Ray Smith was Production Manager for the hardcore porn film directed by Steve Crow entitled “RIPE” – featuring 22-year old “Nikki” (not her real name), a three-and-a-half pregnant “wannabe porn star”.  The making of this video was dealt with in graphic detail on the 43 minute TV documentary “Naked Ambition” (recorded on 30 January 2003 and screened on TVNZ Channel One in May 2003);  produced by Creme Media (now owned by Greenstone Pictures, Auckland).

It featured Steve Crow – referred to as “Porn King” and owner at that time of Vixen Direct – a hardcore porn distribution company. It included several scenes with Raymond Simpson together with Steve Crow involved in the filming of the pregnant “Nikki” having sex with two men – co-stars “William a “stripper” aged 24 years and “Andy” a self-declared “exhibitionist” and printer by occupation aged 39 years. Both men were recruited by Crow to take part in his film project. The programme noted that both co-stars were filmed having sex a number of times with “Nikki” over several days, commencing 10 minutes after meeting her “co-stars”.

There was considerable controversy in 2002 when Crow’s plan to use public hospital facilities to film “Nikki” giving birth – in order to include the footage in his porn film, became public knowledge via the media. Critics were incensed by the intended exploitation of the soon-to-be-born child who they claimed would forever be dubbed “the porn baby”. Crow argued that “Nikki” had a right to have the birth filmed and have it included in the film featuring her. It was all about “freedom of expression” he argued. [Read more…]