Student editors charged

By Ray Fulcher MELBOURNE — Two of La Trobe University's 1995 Rabelais editors have been charged for printing an article, "The Art of Shoplifting", in the student paper last year. Along with the editors Michael Brown and Ben Ross, the paper's printer, Paul MacDonald, has also been charged. The charges were brought under the Classification of Films and Publications Act and relate to "instruction in a crime". The section of the act used was supposedly designed to curb pornography, particularly child pornography, by making it an offence not only to commit a crime, but also to instruct another in how to do it. The maximum penalty is two years' imprisonment. Federal minister for education Simon Crean demanded last year that the editors be prosecuted. Crean also pledged to withdraw funding from Rabelais for the offending issue. In an act of solidarity, many student papers reprinted the shoplifting article last year, and it is not clear what these charges mean for them. A meeting to organise the defence of those charged will be held on February 23, 6pm, Jo Nap room, Melbourne University Student Union. For more information phone Roberta Picton, (03) 9688 4071.