Qld: Gay and lesbian newspaper investigated

AAP General News (Australia)
12-14-1999
Qld: Gay and lesbian newspaper investigated

BRISBANE, Dec 14 AAP - A homosexual newspaper depicting a naked angel engaged in oral
sex on the front page has caught the attention of Queensland's chief censor.

Brother Sister, a free fortnightly paper published and distributed in Brisbane, features
the scene in its latest edition.

Queensland Fair Trading Minister Judy Spence confirmed the Queensland censor was investigating
the newspaper following a complaint from a Brisbane man.

"If it is deemed offensive, it can be withdrawn from circulation and the publisher
can be prosecuted," she told ABC radio today.

The complainant, who had picked up the paper on a footpath in inner-city West End has
described the latest edition of the paper as pornographic and offensive trash.

He said its front page showing a male angel receiving oral sex should not be freely
available on the streets.

"I'm not rattling the moralistic bandwagon, I'm certainly not doing the Rona Joyner
on this, I just think it's bad at Christmas," he told ABC radio today.

The paper's general manager has defended the front page image, saying more offensive
pictures were found in magazines available in newsagencies.

"I don't think it is offensive at all," manager Ray Mackenroth told ABC radio.

AAP ap/sd/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: PAPER

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