The Parliament has passed the Cinematographic Film Amendment Bill today, introducing changes to Fiji’s film classification system in response to the digital age.

The aim of the amendment is to introduce a new Parental Guidance rating for films suitable for children between six and 12 years, a move intended to offer more viewing options to younger audiences while maintaining appropriate content standards.

During the debate, Attorney General Graham Leung stated that the Film Board reviewed its classification approach in 2019 and opted for stricter adherence to the provisions of the Act.

He says while the decision at the time was made in good faith and with good intentions, it resulted, however, in the unintended removal of the PG rating, and the effect of that was to significantly restrict films, some films from accessibility to younger audiences.

“By introducing the PG classification under Section 13 of the Act, we’re able to give parents that responsibility while at the same time ensuring that children have access to age-appropriate content in a way that is supervised and structured. This amendment, Mr. Speaker, ensures that families are once again able to have the opportunity to enjoy a broad range of films together as a family.”

He says the bill also amends Section 2 of the primary legislation or the Act, redefining an adult as a person above the age of 18 years.

He says the change is important and will provide and standardize the legal definition of a child or an adult.

Minister for Women and Children Sashi Kiran says this law ensures that children are protected from inappropriate material before they are emotionally and physically ready.

She says the current Act does not fully regulate or provide parental guidance and this will place children at risk of exposure to violence, explicit material, and harmful stereotypes.

She says amending this Act will allow for updated classification standards to ensure age-appropriate content and information to guardians and parents.

“By amending the Act, we will protect our children from harmful exposure to harmful content, allow us to amend the definition of adult by deleting 16 years and substituting 18 years, so it now reads as a person above the age of 18.”

Opposition MP Alvick Maharaj raised concerns about the potential business impact on the cinema industry, questioning whether the bill was prioritizing economic interests over social and moral values.

“We are actually bringing parental guidance now. How will cinema industry ensure that the person getting a child to watch movies in the cinema is actually a guardian or parent? Do we have any regulations to regulate that? Is there any checkbox that needs to be signed before we actually sell a ticket to a stranger accompanied by a child in cinema? What if that particular person has lured a small kid to a movie just for some sexual pleasure? We all know what’s happening in the cinema.”

However, Leung stresses that the bill’s primary purpose is to provide a tool for parents and guardians to make informed decisions about which films are appropriate for children.

He says that the introduction of a PG rating would allow families to attend films together, fostering a safer and more controlled environment for children in cinemas.

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