Motions

Sexualisation of Children

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (11:01): I move:

That the Social Development Committee inquire into and report on the sexualisation of children and young people, with particular reference to—

(a) the sexualisation of children and young people in television, electronic, print and social media and marketing;

(b) the exposure of children and young people in South Australia to sexualised images and content in public places, television, electronic, print and social media and marketing;

(c) the impact on children and young people of growing up in a sexualised culture;

(d) adequacy of current measures at state and federal level to regulate sexualised imagery in television, electronic, print and social media and marketing, and the effectiveness of self-regulation measures;

(e) measures to assist parents in fulfilling their responsibility to protect and educate children;

(f) measures to educate children and young people and assist them in navigating the contemporary cultural environment;

(g) possible measures that the state government can take to assist children and young people to navigate the cultural environment successfully; and

(h) any other related matter.

The issue of the sexualisation of children is not new. It has been examined by a number of parliamentary committees both here and in the federal parliament over the years but, because we see the changes in media and social networking presentations travelling at the speed of light, we do need to make sure that we are staying on top of this very important social issue.

We need to make sure that we are giving children—the future of South Australia—the opportunity to make decisions based on experience that is going to be measured and is going to be a good experience, not just something that is, in my opinion, and in the opinion of many other parents, psychologists and teachers who have spoken to me, an experience which they think, and I think, is an unsavoury away of introducing the many wonderful things that happen in life.

The need to make sure that we are not encouraging young people to make choices that are beyond their years, to dress beyond their years, has been interpreted by a number of people in various ways, even today in the media reports on this motion before the house. The need to make sure that we are supporting parents is very important. This motion looks at that and asks the Social Development Committee to set up an inquiry into the influence of the media today on young people and the ripple effect on their families, on their schools and on the broader society.

The Australian Psychological Society (APS), in a submission to a New South Wales inquiry on the same issue, states:

Psychologists and other mental health professionals have become increasingly concerned about the prevalence of sexualised material in all forms of media and marketing in Australia. In particular, the increasing exposure of such material in online environments, including access to pornography, as well as through gaming and in young people's depictions of themselves (through social media and sexting) is of growing concern.

Viewing highly sexualised images of women, or violent material, for example, has many risks for children's psychological development and mental health, as well as concerning general societal effects like an increase in sexism, increased rates of sexual harassment and sexual violence, and negative impacts on how men regard women.

I am not attempting to be a moral policeman here. What I am attempting to do is to allow kids to be kids. I do not want young boys and young girls thinking that they need to be out there dressing in what some people would say is a provocative fashion and in other areas acting in unwanted ways towards members of the opposite sex.

There is a massive push in Australia to come down on domestic violence and, if that was to be the end result of some of this influence we are seeing on our children today, that would be a deplorable thing. Everybody in this place I know would support the moves to try to reduce domestic violence and any foundations that might lead to domestic violence. The need to make sure that we have respect for members of the opposite sex, to see them as real people with thoughts and feelings, with a real value, is something that this motion I hope will help explore and deliver.

It will be very hard, but as I said to a media interviewer this morning, just because it is hard does not mean you stop doing it. An internet filter is something I have spoken about; in fact, many times I have spoken in this place about internet filtering and against compulsory filters, but I am greatly in favour of parents being able to opt into a powerful filtering system so that they can set the standards for their children.

A few parents do live their lives through their children, and I am aware of that, but I think we need to educate them as well that they do not need to, that they do not need to go down this path and that they can adopt a different attitude. It is not taking us back to the 1950s, it is not taking us back to the temperance unions' views of society: it is about making sure that our kids can be kids. We need to make sure that teachers are given the opportunity to portray people for what they are worth and not for how they look or how they act.

We need to make sure that the whole issue is explored and not seen as something we need to avoid because we are going to offend somebody or that there will be some perception that we might impinge on people's civil liberties—not that at all—but is about allowing our children to be children. I know it is of great concern to parents, I know it is of great concern to teachers, and I know that the health professionals, mental health professionals particularly, are very concerned about not only the immediate impacts but also the long-term impacts.

As somebody who goes to many schools around South Australia (and I know the Minister for Education and Children's Services will probably have views on this and support our very fine public schools), I know that our teachers are trying to do their best. We heard the Primary Principals Association president this morning talking on the radio, backing up the intent of this motion. We have seen many other people come on to the radio and my office has been inundated (that is not too strong a word) with support for this motion, the need to recognise the fact that we should allow our children to move from childhood into adolescence and then into adulthood with informed views and with secure opinions of themselves. It is not about wrapping them up and not exposing them to dangers or other opinions: it is about allowing them to make those judgements based on sound experience and advice. That is what this motion is all about.

The most important thing that can come out of this motion is if we are able to give parents and teachers the ability to be able to say to kids, 'Do you really think that is an appropriate way to act, way to dress, way to conduct yourself?' or, 'Is that attitude you're showing towards your colleagues an appropriate way to act?' I hope the house does support this motion.

I have written to the Social Development Committee anyway to ask them to look into this. I understand the Presiding Member has said that they are a very busy committee, as are most parliamentary committees, and that it may come on to the agenda next year. I hope we can start some initial investigations before then. The need to do something about this will not go away. As one media said on a national program this morning, it is everywhere, this is all pervasive, and we need to look at where we want to be in five or 10 years' time. Do we want our children to grow up with attitudes that really are not doing them any good at all, attitudes that are really testing the fibres of our society as we know it?

It is not about being the moral police, it is not about being a protectionist or coming down and trying to take us back to the 1950s or 1960s, but is about allowing children to cope with the absolute onslaught of material they are being presented with in the media today, whether print, electronic or in other forms.

The motion is fairly straightforward. A New South Wales inquiry along exactly the same lines is being conducted now. I hope that other states consider these sorts of inquiries. In fact, I hope the federal government actually goes back and looks at these sorts of inquiries. The member for Torrens, I believe, was on a Senate committee in a former life and I look forward to her contribution to the debate on this motion.

We need to recognise that, as members of parliament, we do need at times to stand up and be accountable and represent our constituents to the best of our ability, which we all try to do. In this case, it will be a hard issue to enforce standards, particularly on the internet, but that does not mean to say that we do not try and just see what we can do. With that, I commend the motion to the house.

Debate adjourned on motion of Ms Digance.