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This is a Bill, not an Act. For current law, see the Acts databases.


CLASSIFICATION (PUBLICATIONS, FILMS AND COMPUTER GAMES) ENFORCEMENT AMENDMENT BILL 2010





                            New South Wales




Classification (Publications, Films and
Computer Games) Enforcement
Amendment Bill 2010


Contents

                                                                            Page
              1    Name of Act                                                 2
              2    Commencement                                                2
     Schedule 1    Amendment of Classification (Publications, Films and
                   Computer Games) Enforcement Act 1995 No 63                  3




b2010-083-42.d09
                           New South Wales




Classification (Publications, Films and
Computer Games) Enforcement
Amendment Bill 2010
No     , 2010


A Bill for

An Act to amend the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games)
Enforcement Act 1995 to make further provision for the enforcement of the
classification scheme for publications, films and computer games; and for other
purposes.
              Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Enforcement
Clause 1      Amendment Bill 2010




The Legislature of New South Wales enacts:                                          1

 1    Name of Act                                                                   2

           This Act is the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer         3
           Games) Enforcement Amendment Act 2010.                                   4

 2    Commencement                                                                  5

           This Act commences on the date of assent to this Act.                    6




Page 2
Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Enforcement
Amendment Bill 2010

Amendment of Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games)     Schedule 1
Enforcement Act 1995 No 63



Schedule 1              Amendment of Classification                                        1
                        (Publications, Films and Computer                                  2
                        Games) Enforcement Act 1995 No 63                                  3

[1]   Section 4 Definitions                                                                4

      Omit the definition of submittable publication from section 4 (1).                   5

      Insert instead:                                                                      6

                     submittable publication has the same meaning as in the                7
                     Commonwealth Act, and includes a publication called in by the         8
                     Director under:                                                       9
                     (a) section 46 of this Act, or                                       10
                     (b) a provision of an Act of another State or a Territory that       11
                           corresponds to that section.                                   12

[2]   Section 40 Advertisements with feature films                                        13

      Omit section 40 (1) and (2). Insert instead:                                        14

             (1)     A person must not, during a program for the exhibition of a          15
                     classified film (the feature film), publicly exhibit an              16
                     advertisement for another film or a computer game unless the         17
                     advertised film or advertised computer game has the same             18
                     classification as (or has a lower classification than) the feature   19
                     film.                                                                20
                     Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units for an individual,                 21
                     100 penalty units for a corporation.                                 22

             (2)     A person must not sell a film that contains a classified film        23
                     (the feature film) and an advertisement for another film or a        24
                     computer game unless the advertised film or advertised computer      25
                     game has the same classification as (or has a lower classification   26
                     than) the feature film.                                              27
                     Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units for an individual,                 28
                     100 penalty units for a corporation.                                 29

[3]   Section 40 (3)                                                                      30

      Omit "film".                                                                        31

[4]   Section 41 Advertisements with computer games                                       32

      Omit section 41 (1). Insert instead:                                                33

             (1)     A person must not sell, or publicly demonstrate, a computer game     34
                     that contains a classified computer game (the main computer          35
                     game) and an advertisement for another computer game or a film       36



                                                                               Page 3
                Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Enforcement
                Amendment Bill 2010

Schedule 1      Amendment of Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games)
                Enforcement Act 1995 No 63


                   unless the advertised game or advertised film has the same                   1
                   classification as (or has a lower classification than) the main              2
                   computer game.                                                               3
                   Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units for an individual,                         4
                   100 penalty units for a corporation.                                         5

[5]   Section 41 (2)                                                                            6

      Omit the subsection. Insert instead:                                                      7

             (2)   The hierarchy of classification is as follows:                               8
                   (a) G is a lower classification than PG, M, MA 15+ or R 18+,                 9
                   (b) PG is a lower classification than M, MA 15+ or R 18+,                   10
                   (c) M is a lower classification than MA 15+ or R 18+,                       11
                   (d) MA 15+ is a lower classification than R 18+.                            12
                   Note. The highest classification for computer games under the National      13
                   Classification Code is MA 15+. The highest classification for films under   14
                   that Code is R 18+.                                                         15

[6]   Section 58 Evidence                                                                      16

      Omit "section 87 of" from section 58 (1).                                                17

[7]   Section 58A                                                                              18

      Insert after section 58:                                                                 19

      58A    Proof of classification by agreement                                              20

             (1)   Subject to subsection (2), if a person is charged with an offence           21
                   under this Act, the prosecution may, prior to the trial, give the           22
                   accused a notice:                                                           23
                   (a) setting out:                                                            24
                          (i) the title or apparent title (if any) of the publication,         25
                                film or computer game, and                                     26
                         (ii) particulars of the offence in relation to which the              27
                                notice is served, and                                          28
                   (b) stating that the accused is entitled to view the publication,           29
                         film or computer game, and                                            30
                   (c) inviting the accused to indicate, by completing and signing             31
                         a statement to that effect set out in the notice and returning        32
                         the notice to an address set out in the notice, that the              33
                         accused agrees that, on a specified date, the publication,            34
                         film or computer game:                                                35
                          (i) was classified at the specified classification, or               36




Page 4
Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Enforcement
Amendment Bill 2010

Amendment of Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games)      Schedule 1
Enforcement Act 1995 No 63


                           (ii)   was unclassified but would, if classified, have been      1
                                  of the specified classification,                          2
                           as the case may require, and                                     3
                    (d)    stating that if the accused does not indicate his or her         4
                           agreement in accordance with paragraph (c) within the            5
                           period specified in the notice (being not less than the          6
                           prescribed period), the accused will, if found guilty of the     7
                           offence specified in the notice, be liable to pay an amount      8
                           equal to:                                                        9
                            (i) if the offence in relation to which the notice is          10
                                  served involves an allegation that, on a specified       11
                                  date, a publication, film or computer game was           12
                                  unclassified but would, if classified, have been of a    13
                                  particular classification--the fee for classification    14
                                  of the publication, film or computer game, or            15
                           (ii) if the offence in relation to which the notice is          16
                                  served involves an allegation that, on a specified       17
                                  date, a publication, film or computer game was           18
                                  classified at a particular classification--the fee for   19
                                  obtaining a certificate of a kind described in           20
                                  section 58 specifying the classification of the          21
                                  publication, film or computer game at that date.         22

             (2)    This section does not apply where the offence with which a             23
                    person is charged involves an allegation that a publication, film      24
                    or computer game was unclassified but would, if classified, be         25
                    classified at a classification other than X 18+ or RC.                 26

             (3)    A person served with a notice under this section must, on making       27
                    a written request to the prosecution within 14 days from the date      28
                    of service of the notice, be allowed to view the publication, film     29
                    or computer game the subject of the notice at a time and place         30
                    fixed by the prosecution.                                              31

             (4)    In proceedings for an offence under this Act, a notice under this      32
                    section containing a statement, completed and signed by the            33
                    accused, that the accused agrees that, on a specified date, the        34
                    publication, film or computer game:                                    35
                     (a) was classified at the specified classification, or                36
                    (b) was unclassified but would, if classified, have been of a          37
                           specified classification,                                       38
                    is evidence of, and in the absence of evidence to the contrary is      39
                    proof of, the matter agreed.                                           40




                                                                               Page 5
               Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Enforcement
               Amendment Bill 2010

Schedule 1     Amendment of Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games)
               Enforcement Act 1995 No 63


             (5)   If:                                                                     1
                    (a)   a person served with a notice under this section does not        2
                          deliver the notice, duly completed and signed, to the            3
                          address specified in the notice within the period specified      4
                          in the notice, and                                               5
                   (b) the person is found guilty of the offence specified in the          6
                          notice,                                                          7
                   the prosecution is entitled, on application to the court making the     8
                   finding of guilt, to recover from the person an amount equal to the     9
                   fee described in the notice.                                           10

             (6)   In proceedings in which an application referred to in                  11
                   subsection (5) is made, a certificate signed or purporting to be       12
                   signed by the Commissioner of Police and stating that:                 13
                    (a) a person was served with a notice set out in the certificate      14
                          and did not return the notice, duly completed and signed,       15
                          to the address specified in the notice within the period        16
                          specified in the notice, and                                    17
                   (b) a specified amount was paid as the fee described in the            18
                          notice,                                                         19
                   is evidence of, and in the absence of evidence to the contrary is      20
                   proof of, the facts stated in the certificate.                         21

             (7)   If:                                                                    22
                    (a)   a notice is served under this section in relation to an         23
                          offence involving an allegation that a publication, film or     24
                          computer game was unclassified but would, if classified,        25
                          have been of a specified classification, and                    26
                   (b) the person served with the notice does not return the              27
                          notice, duly completed and signed, to the address specified     28
                          in the notice within the period specified in the notice, and    29
                    (c) the publication, film or computer game is subsequently            30
                          classified at a higher classification than the classification   31
                          specified in the notice,                                        32
                   this section applies as if the notice had specified that higher        33
                   classification.                                                        34

             (8)   In this section, prescribed period means 14 days from the date of      35
                   service of the notice or, if the person served with the notice         36
                   requests that he or she be allowed to view the publication, film or    37
                   computer game the subject of the notice, 14 days from the time         38
                   fixed by the prosecution for the viewing.                              39




Page 6
Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Enforcement
Amendment Bill 2010

Amendment of Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games)    Schedule 1
Enforcement Act 1995 No 63


[8]   Section 59 Commencement of proceedings                                              1
      Omit section 59 (1). Insert instead:                                                2

             (1)    Proceedings for an offence under this Act in relation to a film,      3
                    publication or computer game that is unclassified at the time of      4
                    the alleged offence:                                                  5
                     (a) are not to be commenced until:                                   6
                            (i) the film, publication or computer game has been           7
                                 classified, or                                           8
                           (ii) the accused, by notice under section 58A, agrees          9
                                 that the publication, film or computer game if          10
                                 classified would have been the classification agreed,   11
                                 and                                                     12
                    (b) are not to be commenced later than 12 months after the           13
                           date on which:                                                14
                            (i) the film, publication or computer game was               15
                                 classified, or                                          16
                           (ii) the accused returned the notice under section 58A,       17
                           whichever is relevant.                                        18

[9]   Schedule 1 Savings and transitional provisions                                     19

      Insert at the end of clause 1 (1):                                                 20

                    Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games)              21
                    Enforcement Amendment Act 2010                                       22




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