This work investigates the historical trajectory and legal mechanisms of censorship in Australia over the course of a century. Peter Coleman, a journalist and politician, examines the shifting definitions of obscenity, blasphemy, and sedition within the Australian legal system. By analyzing specific court cases and legislative changes, the book argues that censorship practices have historically reflected the prevailing moral and political anxieties of the Australian public and its governing bodies.

This text serves as a foundational historical record for understanding the evolution of Australian intellectual freedom and state control. The analysis provides a dense, scholarly overview that remains a primary reference for those studying the intersection of law and culture in the Australian context.