Politicians tell us we're so distressed by sex, violence and bad language on the screen that film censorship rules have to be tightened next time they come up for review. That's next year. Censorship of magazines has already been tightened. Porn has been squeezed, with new rules going through the House of Representatives last week. A review of video games is under way.
Films are next.
But when Australians are allowed to speak for themselves it's clear we're a laid-back nation. Coarse language didn't bother them at all. Sex for adults didn't worry them either - unless it was violent sex. They were generally worried about film violence but not in the sweeping terms used by the censorship lobby. So the process should be thrown open to ordinary men and women.