Soft economy stimulates porn: Sex Party
20 Nov 2008 2:37 PMBy Stephen Johnson
SYDNEY, Nov 20 AAP - A recession next year would stimulate demand for sex toys and porn films as Australians seek cheaper pleasures, the nation's newest political party says.
The Australian Sex Party says more people will flock to adult shops, even as an economic downturn forces them to cut back on discretionary spending.
"Some adult shops are saying business has never been better," party convenor Fiona Patten said of her political base.
"Some retailers are saying when people start to worry about their finances,and they're worrying about the economy, they go and buy a vibrator or an adult film.
"While they're cutting out going to dinner and going to the movies, they'repopping into an adult shop.
"We're a cheap luxury that can make you feel good."
Economists expect other sinful pursuits like gambling to remain in play as Australians search for ways to deal with a share market that has lost half its value in the past year.
CommSec chief economist Craig James said adult entertainment and gambling often survived during economic hard times, as consumers cut back on more expensive treats like overseas holidays and upscale restaurant meals.
"Even in tougher times, people ... want to enjoy themselves," he said.
"They need an area where they can be cheered up.
"It's the little luxuries people tend to gravitate to; things like gamblingremain in play."
However, Australia's adult industry faces cautious consumers, with Reserve Bank of Australia data on Thursday showing credit card debt in September had posted its slowest annual growth on record.
The Australian share market has fallen by more than 50 per cent since its peak a year ago, and Westpac says the economy could dip into recession by early 2009.
With economists expecting the unemployment rate, now at 4.3 per cent, to rise sharply, Ms Patten said the federal government's proposed internet filter to block up to 10,000 unwanted sites could cost 16,000 adult industry jobs.
"If they go ahead with what they propose, we'll wipe out the adult industryin the next five years," she said.
Ms Patten, who launched the Australian Sex Party in Melbourne on Thursday, said the federal government's4.8 billion pre-Christmas handout to pensioners was unlikely to encourage more elderly people to visit adult shops.
"Certainly, pensioners do shop for and buy adult material, that's for sure,but I'm not certain that we'll see much more of that," she said.
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