page_title: Blasphemy law in New Zealand
section_title: Censorship
hierarchical_section_title: Blasphemy law in New Zealand / Censorship
caption_attribution_description: On 5th October 1969 the first episode of comedy series ‘Monty Python’s Flying Circus’ was broadcast on BBC One. The iconic series ran for four seasons, after which the Monty Python team concentrated on film-making. In 1979 the group released what is thought to be their greatest film, ‘The Life of Brian’, a comedic biography of a Jewish man living at the same time and neighbourhood as Jesus Christ. The film contained themes of religious satire that were controversial at the time of its release, drawing accusations of blasphemy and protests from some religious groups. Some countries, including Ireland and Norway, banned its showing, with a few of these bans lasting decades. There was also significant opposition to the film being released in New Zealand, with hundreds of letters of protest sent to the Film Censor’s Office requesting it to be banned on grounds of religious insensitivity. Pictured above are two letters sent to the Film Censor’s Office giving opposing views of the argument, and the reply given by the Chief Censor of Films stating that they had found no evidence of blasphemy or sacrilegiousness in the film. These documents come from a series of multiple number subject files from the Film Censor's Office and a Department of Internal Affairs report on motion picture policies/legislation, 1927-1991. Archives reference: AAAC W4442 10 /3/12/3/1 Material from Archives New Zealand
context_page_description: The publishing of any "blasphemous libel" was a crime in New Zealand under Section 123 of the Crimes Act 1961 which allowed for imprisonment for up to one year. However, Section 123 protected all publications and opinions on any religious subject expressed in good faith and decent language against prosecution and specified that prosecution may proceed only with the leave of the attorney-general.
  On 5 March 2019, Parliament unanimously passed the Crimes Amendment Bill, which repealed Section 123 of the Crimes Act. The bill received the Royal Assent on 11 March 2019 and came into force the following day.
context_section_description: Apart from the use of Section 123 of the Crimes Act 1961, attempts have been made to censor films and television programmes considered blasphemous using broadcasting standards and film censorship legislation such as the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 and the Broadcasting Act 1989.
  The British comedy film Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) about a fictional Jewish man living at the same time and neighbourhood as Jesus Christ, generated significant international controversy and was banned in several countries including Ireland and Norway. Hundreds of letters were sent to the New Zealand Film Censor's Office to have the film banned in New Zealand as well on the grounds of it being 'blasphemous' against the Christian faith, but the Chief Censor of Films responded by stating that they had found no evidence of blasphemy or sacrilegiousness in the film.
  In February 2006, the broadcaster CanWest screened the “Bloody Mary” episode of the South Park cartoon series featuring a menstruating Virgin Mary statue. The following June, the Broadcasting Standards Authority responded to complaints by upholding CanWest's right to broadcast the episode finding no breach of the Television Code of Broadcasting Practice. The High Court, considering an appeal by Bishop Denis Browne, in his capacity as the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference, affirmed the Broadcasting Standards Authority's decision in July 2007.
  Dismissing the appeal in the High Court, Justice Wild said that he was “not prepared to second-guess the weight that the Authority accorded to the right to freedom of expression, relative to the right to respect for religious beliefs” and was not prepared to accept that the Authority was wrong to hold that the episode did not breach the standard of good taste and decency. Justice Wild noted that the four members of the Authority were unanimous and that the Conference's sense of outrage was not shared by the wider community.
caption: Correspondence on whether Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) should be banned in New Zealand for blasphemy.
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