According to the Sunday Age article, the $300 million annual trade in illegal and unclassified pornographic DVDs draws little attention from local authorities tasked with confiscating titles that are not submitted to censors for classification.
The article also concluded that criminal gangs supply the network of DVD retailers who trade in the illegal content.
Federal Attorney General Philip Ruddock expressed concern at the relaxed attitude that many state governments were taking toward illegal and unclassified material.
“When the law specifically provides that material ought to be presented for classification, and it's not, then it is beyond doubt that people distributing that material are committing offences," Ruddock said.
Under Australian law, states regulate adult content. While certain extreme forms of content, such as child pornography, are always illegal under federal law, it is up to the states to decided if hardcore porn can be sold within its borders. However, even if a state elects to allow the sale of hardcore pornography, distributors must first seek classification for the title before it can be brought to market.
In the Northern Territory, where the sale of X-rated films is legal, there appears to be a growing industry for the distribution illegal content, including images of underage sex, incest, rape and extreme violence.
Many catalogs from Northern Territory retailers boast of offering pirated copies of unclassified films, employing ad copy that promises “depraved” content.
Customers use Australian mail to place and retrieve their orders for illegal and unclassified content.
Jim Karas, a DVD store retailer set to face charges for selling pirated films, was interviewed for the story, but declined to say whether or not his store sold illegal or unclassified pornography.
