The Warehouse announced today that it was terminating all sales of R18 videos and computer games. (NZ Herald – Warehouse R18 ban) It comes on the back of the latest version of Grand Theft Auto sinking into new realms of sleaze, violence and depravity. The Warehouse didn’t want to sell it. Good on them.

When corporates make such decisions they lead the way on social responsibility and contribute to building a cohesive and family friendly society in New Zealand. They also reinforce that we all have choices. We don’t have to wait for the government to regulate everything.

It would be great if other corporates took up the challenge. How about TVNZ and Mediaworks voluntarily ditching the daily diet of mind numbing soaps they serve up which normalise lowest common denominator relationship morality. These constantly wash away at the ethical infrastructure that maintains resilient family life in our country. In the long run such programmes probably do far more damage than the blatantly nasty R18 products terminated by the Warehouse.

The only question mark about the Warehouse’s decision is their rationale that R18 games and videos don’t align with their family friendly “branding”. Does this mean if they change their branding it would be OK ? It seems that basic ethics is no longer good enough as the basis for doing the right thing.

However even if only for branding – the Warehouse has done the right thing. They should be commended.

Ewen McQueen
November 2014