The Films, Videos, and Publications Classification (Interim Restriction Order Classification) Amendment Bill has received a third reading in Parliament.
It comes into force on the day it receives the Royal assent.
The bill amends the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 to provide the President of the Film and Literature Board of Review, and the High Court, with flexibility when making interim restriction orders to classify the order as applying to a particular age or class of persons, or for a particular purpose.
The Private Member's Bill was introduced by National MP Chris Bishop.
The key provisions in the bill are intended to allow interim restriction orders to completely restrict access to a publication, as they do currently, or restrict access only to people who: are a certain age, belong to a certain class, such as tertiary students, or are accessing the publication for a certain purpose, such as a film festival.
These three new types of interim restriction orders reflect the classifications that may be imposed on a publication by the Office of Film and Literature Classification.