Australian Censorship Tests

While reading the June/July 2007 issue of American Libraries, I came across a news brief on page 42 regarding censorship criteria in Australia.

Books and DVDs that glorify terrorism will face much tougher censorship tests under new laws, federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said. Ruddock and state attorneys-general struck an agreement April 13 to allow materials that "advocate" terrorism to be pulled from bookstore shelves and stopped at Australia's border. The state attorneys-general will report back to Canberra on the feasibility of the proposed laws by July. --Wodonga (Vic.) Border Mail, April 14

According to the Australian Library and Information Association,one of its core values is to "... [promote] the free flow of information and ideas through open access to recorded knowledge, information, and creative works. We assert that this access across time and across cultures is fundamental to a thriving culture, economy and democracy."

I will be interested to follow this story in the Australian press and to talk to library professionals about this in October.