Tacky and cheap just the job for Crow

The Marlborough Express | Thursday, 21 August 2008

Porn baron Steve Crow probably has one of the best publicity machines in the country - the Auckland City Council, writes The Marlborough Express in an editorial.

Yesterday a group of people rode down Auckland's Queen St, many of them topless. As in the past, thousands gathered on the side of the road to watch the spectacle in the hopes of catching a glimpse of some breasts.

Mr Crow didn't need to spend any money advertising the event as it has been covered by most of the newspapers around the country and has featured on radio and television over the past few days.

The reason for this is the Auckland City Council refused to grant Mr Crow a permit for his parade, saying it was in contravention of a bylaw passed last month giving it the power to turn down permits for events deemed "likely to be offensive".

Not happy with the council decision, Mr Crow said he was going to to go ahead with the parade anyway, prompting the council to instruct top law firm Simpson Grierson to ask for the court's intervention.

The court did intervene and said Mr Crow's Boobs on Bike parade, as the event is known, could go ahead today as it did not break any laws. The judge said the event was tacky but disagreed with councillors that it was offensive.

She said though opponents might find the parade offensive or tasteless, the fact that 80,000 people attended last year meant a significant number do not agree. The estimated 100,000 in attendance yesterday would seem to reinforce her view. Opinions of whether this type of event is offensive and should be allowed or not are split.

Opponents say the parade demeans women and say pornography leads to sexual abuse and rape. On the other hand, the supporters talk about democracy and freedom of expression. It is alarming that in this day and age we still have heated debates and confrontations about frivolous issues like this. Surely we have more important issues to occupy our minds than a handful of ladies showing their breasts in the street for about 45 minutes on one day of the year.

We do live in a free society where all people have the right to express themselves in any way as long as it is within the law. If jiggling your breasts while riding on the back of a motorcycle makes you happy, then you are free to do so.

Similarly, if you are offended by the sight of topless women in public then look away or make sure you don't go the affected area of the city during the time the event is on. And if you want to stage a protest against the Boobs on Bikes then you are free to do that too as long as it is within the law. Boobs on Bikes is a tacky event aimed at raising publicity for Mr Crow's erotica expo.

The Auckland City Council has ensured that Mr Crow won't have to spend a cent on advertising his event. They have done it for him.