Banned Books in Aotearoa: A Hidden History - Library Notes

Published on October 08, 2025

Banned Books in Aotearoa: A Hidden History

Jennifer Walton, Library Engagement Team Lead

Every year during Banned Books Week, readers are reminded that the freedom to choose what we read has not always been guaranteed. While many people associate book banning with the United States, New Zealand has its own surprising history of censorship.

Book censorship came into force in NZ around 1858, with sections of the Customs Act prohibiting the importation of books considered ‘indecent’. The first prosecution for indecent publications in a New Zealand court came about following an undercover operation in 1890 which ended with five Christchurch booksellers charged with selling novels by French writer Émile Zola.

The Indecent Publications Act took effect in 1910 giving the Customs Department sweeping powers to seize and ban imported books. At this time, The Act didn’t attempt to define ‘indecent’ however it did spell out the difference for works that were of ‘literary, scientific, or artistic, merit’ and those which were not.

So, what was counted as indecent? The definition was broad, often reflecting the social anxieties of the time. Works that explored sexuality, challenged religious norms, or questioned authority were common targets. James Joyce’s Ulysses, Radclyffe Hall’s The Well of Loneliness, and other classics were once on the banned list here. Sometimes books were banned not for their content but for their perceived influence on “impressionable minds,” especially young readers.

The First and Second World Wars saw stricter censorship enforced with the banning of any publication considered damaging to the war effort as well as publications critical of the government of the time.

Comics were banned left, right and centre in the 1950s as many were regarded as encouraging violence and anti-social behaviour.

In 1963 the Indecent Publications Tribunal was created, introducing a more transparent process. All previous restrictions were lifted and there was now a requirement for lists of banned books to be made public.

Censorship began to loosen in the 1970s as New Zealand society grew more liberal. Today, the Office of Film and Literature Classification still has the power to restrict or ban books, but outright prohibitions are rare.

Looking back, the history of banned books in New Zealand is a reminder that access to reading is never something to take for granted. Every title once struck from the shelves tells us as much about the fears of the time as it does about the words on the page.