Eminem and Australia

[David Morris]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,517779,00.html

The imminent arrival of the controversial US rapper has sent many Australian 
politicians into an apoplectic moral panic, writes Patrick Barkham

Friday July 6, 2001

"This guy is mentally sick," said Queensland Liberal MP Peter Slipper 
recently.

"Anyone who writes lyrics speculating about raping his mother, anyone who 
writes lyrics talking about having his pregnant girlfriend killed, has to be 
on the wrong side of mental balance.

"What we should do or what someone should do is lock him up in a mental 
institution and throw away the key."

[...]

Australian states boast some of the toughest legislation in the western 
world for preventing children accessing explicit material.

Theoretically, Eminem's two albums and his latest collaboration with D12 
cannot be legally sold to under-18s (although most 14-year-olds don't appear 
to have any problems obtaining his album).

Australian law also forbids the printing of Eminem's lyrics in his albums' 
packaging (which doesn't stop kids printing his lyrics off internet sites).

Eminem's two concert videos are also banned to sale for under-18s, but 
anyone over 14 has been able to buy tickets for his two concerts in 
Melbourne and Sydney.


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