Malcolm Scott
Encyclopedia
Malcolm Fox Scott was an Australia
n politician and government minister.
Scott was born in Western Australia
and was a farmer and had extensive mining interests before entering parliament.
Scott was appointed to the Australian Senate
to fill a casual vacancy on 22 February 1950 and represented the Liberal Party
. He was Government Whip in the Senate from March 1966 to February 1968 and was appointed Minister for Customs and Excise
in February 1968 in the first Gorton ministry
. He was responsible for the censorship of imports, was had long been strictly enforced, particularly against sexually-explicit material. Scott was committed to preventing "filthy trash" from being imported and said, "I just don't believe in showing the sex act on the screen. I never have, and I'll stand by that. I'll stand by that". He confirmed the cutting of a scene in a Swedish film, I Love, You Love, which "depicted a couple lying side-by-side with the husband stroking his wife’s face and her pregnant belly". He said that these actions were of "a distinctly sexual nature". Prime Minister
John Gorton
signalled a different approach to censorship by appointing Don Chipp
as his successor in November 1969. Scott did not stand for re-election at the 1970 Senate election
and retired from the Senate in June 1971.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician and government minister.
Scott was born in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and was a farmer and had extensive mining interests before entering parliament.
Scott was appointed to the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
to fill a casual vacancy on 22 February 1950 and represented the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
. He was Government Whip in the Senate from March 1966 to February 1968 and was appointed Minister for Customs and Excise
Minister for Home Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Home Affairs has been Brendan O'Connor since 6 June 2009. The Home Affairs portfolio brings together agencies such as the Australian Customs Service , the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, which were previously the...
in February 1968 in the first Gorton ministry
First Gorton Ministry
The First Gorton Ministry was the forty-fifth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 10 January 1968 to 12 November 1969.Liberal Party of Australia–Australian Country Party Coalition-Cabinet:*Rt Hon John Gorton, MP: Prime Minister...
. He was responsible for the censorship of imports, was had long been strictly enforced, particularly against sexually-explicit material. Scott was committed to preventing "filthy trash" from being imported and said, "I just don't believe in showing the sex act on the screen. I never have, and I'll stand by that. I'll stand by that". He confirmed the cutting of a scene in a Swedish film, I Love, You Love, which "depicted a couple lying side-by-side with the husband stroking his wife’s face and her pregnant belly". He said that these actions were of "a distinctly sexual nature". Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
John Gorton
John Gorton
Sir John Grey Gorton, GCMG, AC, CH , Australian politician, was the 19th Prime Minister of Australia.-Early life:...
signalled a different approach to censorship by appointing Don Chipp
Don Chipp
Donald Leslie Chipp, AO was an Australian politician, and the inaugural leader of the Australian Democrats.-Early life:...
as his successor in November 1969. Scott did not stand for re-election at the 1970 Senate election
Australian Senate election, 1970
Half-senate elections were held in Australia on 21 November 1970.Independents: Reg Turnbull , Michael Townley , Syd Negus -See also:*Candidates of the Australian Senate election, 1970...
and retired from the Senate in June 1971.