Information for the Public

Members of the public are encouraged to become involved in the censorship system. You can make inquiries and complaints, or submit a publication for classification. If you have children, you can find out more about how censorship affects your family. If you want to sell DVDs or games you bought over the internet, you will need labels.

If you are interested in history, you can explore the development of censorship since 1917, when the first film censorship legislation came into force.

Definitions
There are a number of words and phrases that have specific meaning in terms of the Act.

A publication is any printed recorded or stored image or text. This includes films, videos, books magazines, posters and computer discs.

A classification is a legal statement about who can legally view a publication. The Classification Office is responsible for classifying all publications that may be harmful and need to be restricted or banned.

Ratings provide consumer advice about the audience for which a film is suitable. Ratings are not legally enforceable.

> View a full list of definitions from the Act.


		The Office is happy to give out information to anyone who asks, and will investigate complaints when they arise. Learn more.

The Films Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 establishes the Classification Office and gives the Office power to examine and classify publications. The Act also sets out the criteria that must be used to determine how publications should be classified. Members of the public are invited to submit publications.

View the full copy of the Act.


		If you want to show a film to a group outside its classification you can apply for an exempt under section 44. Learn more.

Updated 18.7.2006