Tasmania would move for extremely violent films to be excluded from the classification system so that they could not be shown in cinemas or on television, Attorney-General Ray Groom said yesterday.
A standing committee of federal, state and territory attorney-generals was considering revised guidelines on the classification of films and video, Mr Groom told Parliament.
In the wake of the Port Arthur tragedy Mr Groom said he would ask the July meeting of the standing committee to remove extremely violent films from the R classification.
"I will be suggesting to the standing committee that these guidelines be amended to remove from the R category into the refused classification some films and videos that deal with extreme violence," Mr Groom said.
"Those extremely violent films and videos really have to be given very careful consideration and should not be available generally within the community." Mr Groom said he would discuss Tasmania's position at the committee meeting because a national approach to film classification was required.
"Many believe that we have developed a culture of violence through the influence of these sorts of films and videos," Mr Groom said.
"Also, there is a good deal of hard evidence of links between many crimes and the fact that those involved in the crimes have actually seen videos and films of a very violent nature, and sometimes the detail of a crime can be related directly to the content of a particular film or video."
[no image]