Aussies Ban Booze, Porn From Aborigines

(Canberra, Australia) The Australian government is banning whiskey and dirty movies from the Aborigines because of high rates of child sex abuse. A government report found that the intergenerational cycle of child sex abuse was an "epidemic" in Aboriginal families.

Australia's prime minister announced plans Thursday to ban pornography and alcohol for Aborigines in northern areas and tighten control over their welfare benefits to fight child sex abuse among them.

It's not exactly clear what impact the "control over welfare benefits" has on child sex abuse. Nonetheless, Aboriginal leaders are outraged by the prohibition.

"I'm absolutely disgusted by this patronizing government control," said Mitch, a member of a government board helping Aborigines who were taken from their parents under past assimilation laws who uses one name. "And tying drinking with welfare payments is just disgusting."

"If they're going to do that, they're going to have to do that with every single person in Australia, not just black people," she said.

Howard said the sale, possession and transportation of alcohol would be banned for six months on the Aboriginal-owned land, after which the policy would be reviewed. The child abuse report found drinking was a key factor in the collapse of Aboriginal culture, contributing to neglect of children and creating opportunities for pedophiles.

Logically, it is prudent to keep the kids away when men get all liquored up along with being excited by steamy sex flicks, but I'm not so sure that banning booze and porn will do anything other than create a black market for the stuff at elevated prices.

If the ban is challenged in court, it should be interesting to hear the government's justification for unequal treatment under the law.

Tip: slwlion