Read on Twitter
The explanation in this thread is full of misinformation in order to confuse non-Aussies. I'll explain each tweet as best as I understand it as a non-lawyer Australian. https://twitter.com/KinokuniyaAust/status/1286573258179977216
This is misdirection. They are trying to absolve Connie Bonaros and the SA-BEST Party of their responsibility for attacking Japanese media. https://twitter.com/KinokuniyaAust/status/1286573331395665920?s=20
Not true. The ACB is NOT responsible for the classification of books. They admitted this openly when Stirling Griff began his campaign. Their primary function is to classify audiovisual media. Books are not subjected to the same classification standards. https://twitter.com/KinokuniyaAust/status/1286573642873110528?s=20
Classification can be very expensive, yes, but that is exactly why BOOKS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH THE ACB. There are millions of books in the world and it would be physically impossible to go through every library and reclassify every title.
Arse-kissing aside, this ignores the fact there are anime adaptations of the banned books that are still available for sale in Australia; the ACB is ALREADY O.K. with them. Other storefronts based in Australia are also still selling the books (Madman). https://twitter.com/KinokuniyaAust/status/1286573792936878080?s=20
When Griff spoke in front of Parliament, Madman & JB HI-FI made it a point to hide their stock of targeted materials to avoid government pressure. Yet they're still selling the banned works - and to their benefit, because they're literally selling out now (the Streisand Effect).
So when Kinokuniya says publishers should IDEALLY go through the ACB, that means THEY DON'T ACTUALLY NEED TO. Because if it WAS required, then police would've already pressed charges against all the businesses supposedly in violation of government policy. https://twitter.com/KinokuniyaAust/status/1286573975938555904?s=20
This is such a pathetic scapegoat; 'We didn't bow to blatantly obvious political pressure, it's the GOVERNMENT's fault we're the only storefront to ban these books still being sold at places like Madman'. Own up to your cowardice and stop being pushovers. https://twitter.com/KinokuniyaAust/status/1286574016463945728?s=20
Credit goes to @_Hero_Hei_ for bringing this to my attention, because as someone who has been following the attacks on anime since the beginning of 2020 and has submitted letters to the ACB, I can openly state that Kinokuniya is not being honest with ignorant non-Aussies.
