Martin TraceyFILMS VIDEOS AND PUBLICATIONS CLASSIFICATION (COMMERCIAL VIDEO ON-DEMAND) AMENDMENT BILLFirst ReadingHon TRACEY MARTIN (Minister of Internal Affairs): I move That the Films Videos and Publications Classification (Commercial Video on-Demand) Amendment Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Governance and Administration Committee to consider the bill. I intend to move that the bill be reported back to the House by Tuesday 28 April 2020.The bill will address a discreet regulatory gap where commercial video on demand content which is a growing market both globally and in New Zealand is not currently subject to mandatory classification requirements prior to being made available in New Zealand. It brings commercial video on demand content in line with how films seen at cinemas or available on DVDs are treated. Films are required to display a label that tells the potential viewer what age or audience it is appropriate for and flags with them that it may contain violence sexual or adult themes and more importantly themes about suicide that have been proven to have an effect on younger audiences. The bill allows viewers to make informed viewing choices when they are scrolling through their Netflix Lightbox or NEON accounts for something to watch.The bill is essential in managing the potential for harm to viewers who view or allow children or vulnerable persons to view commercial video on demand content without understanding its nature. It does this by requiring this content to be rated and labelled in the same way that films are already regulated under the Films Videos and Publications Classification Act. However only certain providers listed in a Schedule to the Act will be required to comply with the new requirements. The decision to list or remove providers from the Schedule will be made by the Governor-General upon recommendation from the Minister of Internal Affairs. The Minister of Internal Affairs will need to consult the chief censor and consider criteria noted in the bill before making any recommendation to list or remove providers from the Schedule. The principal consideration for listing in the Schedule will be the potential risk of harm to New Zealand viewers due to the provider not displaying appropriate labels under the classification Act.Providers listed in the Schedule can comply by (1) self-rating content using their own systems that have been approved by the Office of Film and Literature Classification; (2) self-rating content using the Office of Film and Literature Classification's online tool and resources; or (3) submitting content to the Film and Video Labelling Body for rating and labelling with certain content to be referred to the Office of Film and Literature Classification for classification where appropriate. The ability for providers to be able to self-rate their content is something that is unique to the treatment of commercial video on demand content under the classification Act. It is a more efficient process and considers commercial video on demand providers need to maintain competitiveness in the market by being able to make content available in New Zealand at the same time as it is available elsewhere. An example of this is when the Game of Thrones episodes on NEON were available soon after being broadcast on the American HBO channel.The Office of Film and Literature Classification has been developing a self-rating framework with industry which will be ready to roll out once changes come into force in January 2021. The bill sets out a staggered approach to implementation. I believe this is necessary given the changes specific providers will need to make to their own systems in order to comply with the new requirements. If the bill is passed by July 2020 then providers will have six months to negotiate terms and conditions with the Office of Film and Literature Classification and upgrade their systems if necessary. Providers will have to rate and label all new content from 1 January 2021 and older content which is content already available on providers' platforms before 1 January 2021 will need to be rated and labelled by 1 July 2021. However commercial video on demand content that has been labelled under the Broadcasting Act regime and displays broadcasting code classifications or programme information will not need to be relabelled. This recognises the other existing regime for media content under the Broadcasting Act which was developed with a focus on New Zealand community standards.As stated before this discreet change adapts the classification Act to address commercial video on demand content and ensures this content displays New Zealand ratings and labels that are readily familiar to New Zealand viewers. I propose that a period of four months is appropriate for select committee consideration. The bill is short and makes a discreet change to the Films Videos and Publications Classification Act 1993. I commend this bill to the House.Melissa Lee: Madam Speaker—DEPUTY SPEAKER: The question is that the motion be agreed to.