Public Address | Cafe | Legal Beagle: Update: Into the River

Joe Wylie

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 16:12:00 +1300

the (probably accurate) portrayal of a posh Auckland school as a fount of bullying, abuse and racism with a depiction of a staff-student sexual relationship in less than horrified terms was the crux of it.

While I don't know the inner workings of Mathieson's moral compass, that was certainly my…

Rich of Observationz

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 15:39:47 +1300

Having now finished the book, I don't think the Censor's real issue was with any "repetitive coarse language" at all.

I'd suspect that the combination of the (probably accurate) portrayal of a posh Auckland school as a fount of bullying, abuse and racism with a depiction of a staff-student sexual…

linger

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 09:59:14 +1300

If you think the job description is "guardian of our country's morals" then a social conservative is exactly who you'd appoint.

Alfie

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 08:21:04 +1300

Thanks Graeme. I was actually more surprised that a self-confessed "conservative Christian" was selected as a guardian of our country's morals in the first place.

Graeme Edgeler

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 08:13:00 +1300

Don Mathieson, QC, the censor who banned Into the River is quitting the Film and Literature Board of Review.

Having served two consecutive terms on the Board, he was forbidden by law from being re-appointed to a third.

Alfie

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 06:41:51 +1300

Don Mathieson, QC, the censor who banned Into the River is quitting the Film and Literature Board of Review.

Mathieson, a conservative Christian, made headlines in September, after Ted Dawe's teen novel Into The River was briefly banned, following a complaint from conservative lobby group Family First.

The book had…

Graham Dunster

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 12:14:00 +1200

Pertinent comments in the Wanganui (no h!) Chronicle editorial – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wanganui-chronicle/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503423&objectid=11514466. Also the Herald reports positive worldwide interest in the book – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11513997 – so all we now have to do is resolve the crazy legislation.

Rob Stowell

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 15:22:03 +1200

for over 5 months after being given additional public prominence by the award win the book could be read, sold, shared and displayed completely free from any restrictions … yet the Board was still able to give it an R14 rating. … how would two-or-three months of free availability now…

Lin Nah

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 12:43:02 +1200

Is there anything people can do to ensure our voices are heard wrt opposition on the banning or even age restriction of the book? It seems like there have been articles online either in MSM or blog sites written in opposition to the ban. Is there anything that can be…

Lin Nah

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 21:58:09 +1200

FYI Ted Dawe is holding a Reddit AMA at the moment. I'm Ted Dawe, the author of Into the River, the first book to be banned in NZ for 22 years. AMA!.

Graeme Edgeler

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 11:58:58 +1200

So how would two-or-three months of free availability now prevent the Board from doing likewise?

It fairly obviously would not. The decision makes little sense to me either :-)

Andrew Geddis

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 11:44:29 +1200

@Rich,

True – consistently being ripped apart on appeal would likely prevent any chance of progression up the judicial ranks. But my point was that Peter Dunne has the opportunity to decide whether Dr Mathieson's decision-making is so poor that he should be "off the bench" altogether (so to speak).…

Rich of Observationz

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 11:31:31 +1200

How do they get promoted to be a High Court judge? Or do High Court judges get appointed directly from barristers?

Andrew Geddis

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 11:01:28 +1200

@Rich,

Difference being, District Court judges stay in their jobs no matter what until age 72.* Don Mathieson, however, is up for periodic reappointment to his role by Peter Dunne.

*Unless the Attorney-General tells the Governor General to sack him or her following a recommendation by a Judicial Conduct Panel,…

Andrew Geddis

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 10:58:38 +1200

... for most of that time the book was self-published, and perhaps not very widely known. It has now won an award and everything.

The book won the best novel award on June 24, 2013. The Review Board classified it in December 2013. So for over 5 months after being…

Rich of Observationz

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 10:50:42 +1200

Would I be right in thinking that in the mainstream legal world, if say a District Court judge were to climb out on a limb like this and make a tendentious decision that gets torn apart on appeal, then that would be a bit career limiting for them? (particularly if…

Graeme Edgeler

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 10:49:19 +1200

So what is different this time around?

To be fair, there is at least one thing different this time, for most of that time the book was self-published, and perhaps not very widely known. It has now won an award and everything.

Andrew Geddis

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 10:39:04 +1200

... it is important that the Board’s consideration of whether any restriction on availability is appropriate is not inhibited in any way by further distribution in the short period before the Board’s decision, whatever it is, is reached and published.

Huh? This just isn't a reason that goes to "the…

Joe Wylie

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 10:15:22 +1200

I just finished the book the other day...
Likewise. Couldn't help but wonder if it was the portrayal of a flatulent Christian phys-ed teacher that tipped McCroskie over the edge.

Danielle

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 09:10:07 +1200

I just finished the book the other day and even an interim ban is utterly, utterly mad. I honestly wonder if I'm part of the same species as someone who'd want it made unavailable to the public. The one thing Ted Dawe's work *should* be rapped over the knuckles for…

Lilith __

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 01:54:57 +1200

The TL:DR “this is a weighty matter and a month isn’t that long.”
A very disappointing response. Doesn’t present any reason for the interim ban. I get that they want to make the right choice, but they don’t justify how it would hurt the public to read the book in…

Public Address

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 01:54:57 +1200

Discussion from blog post.