Office of Fair Trading investigates pornographic books and comics at public libraries

Books and comics depicting sick sexual acts are being loaned to Queensland children in public libraries, with an investigation underway.

Pornographic books and comics depicting paedophile sex and bestiality are being loaned out to children in Queensland public libraries, sparking an Office of Fair Trading investigation.

The watchdog is investigating a complaint against Logan City Council about the controversial book Gender Queer: A Memoir which has been banned by many libraries in the US but is available in Brisbane and Logan libraries.

The investigation follows complaints from Logan-based former soldier turned conservative activist Bernard Gaynor, who says “hundreds if not thousands” of sexually explicit books and comics are being loaned out by Queensland public libraries.

Mr Gaynor lodged formal complaints with the council and OFT about Gender Queer – one of America’s most banned books – and comic book The Boys (Volume I).

Gender Queer: A Memoir is a 2019 graphic memoir written and illustrated by Maia Kobabe

Gender Queer, an award-winning memoir by non-binary cartoonist Maia Kobabe, contains graphic illustrations of masturbation, oral sex and an Ancient Greek-style paedophile encounter, has enraged conservatives in the US and banned by almost 50 school districts from libraries.

Mr Gaynor said he had initially complained to police about Gender Queer after discovering it was on the shelves of Logan libraries alongside children’s comic books.

But police told him they were powerless to act as the book had not been classified.

It was given an unrestricted rating by the Australian Classification Board last month, but Mr Gaynor has spent $10,000 to lodge an appeal.

The Logan City Council launched an internal review after complaints from Mr Gaynor but deemed it “suitable” to remain in its libraries, albeit in the “adult collection”, after the ACB gave it an unrestricted M (Mature) rating as “not recommended for readers under 15”.

In a letter to Mr Gaynor last month, the OFT confirmed it was investigating his complaint about whether books being loaned by the library were prohibited publications.

The Boys (Volume 1) is the world's most banned comic book.

The OFT noted the ACB had given Gender Queer an unrestricted rating but was making “further enquiries with (the) ACB” in relation to The Boys Volume I.

The Boys comics feature graphic sex illustrations including bestiality.

Under Queensland law, anyone advertising, selling or distributing prohibited publications face up to two years jail or an $86,000 fine.

Mr Gaynor said Brisbane City Council had pulled all six volumes of The Boys from its shelves after he complained to them.

He said thousands of books which had not been classified were being loaned out by libraries across Australia, with Japanese manga books “a particularly large problem”.

“I’m coming after councils, starting with Logan,” he said.

“I’m going to make their life an absolute misery and then I’m going to go after all the other councils.

“Books that depict children engaging in sexual activity, including with adults, are disgusting and obscene.

“Council libraries need a big clean-out.”