Netflix programmes are likely to become regulated, but by whom - it is not yet clear.

The Censor's Office was about to run out of money within three years. Chief Censor David Shanks said the Crown had not increased its funding over the last 20 years and in that time, with the rise of the internet, material that kept the independent Crown entity buoyant such as pornography, had all but disappeared.

The office was forced to make four redundancies. It also meant that the seven classification officers remaining would take on more work.

While the office's finances are now out of the red today, the future of its role after 2020 looks murky, Shanks said.

KEVIN STENT/FAIRFAX Chief Censor David Shanks says while the Office is now back to being financially buoyant, the future of the Censor's Office will change.

The chief censor said his office is running on 1993 legislation.

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"In 1993 the first Jurassic Park movie had come out, Bill Clinton was in office in the White House and the scientist at CERN had just released the internet onto the public domain for public use.

"​In the nineties we had large volumes of adult DVDs coming through, huge volumes and there was quite a steady market in that industry and we were charging our standard fee for classifying these titles and that kept the office quite buoyant and built up reserves.

"I don't know if you've noticed by adult DVDs haven't been a thing for sometime."

Changes included the regulation of streaming services such as Netflix, and whether that responsibility would fall under the Broadcasting Standards Authority or under the Censor's Office.

"There is undoubtedly going to be change in this space and its either with the likes of a BSA broadened ambit which we would need to work out what our role is in that space. Because currently, as chief censor, I have the power to call in any publication which can include and has included T-shirts, campervans, playing cards, and has included Netflix shows like 13 Reasons Why and To The Bone," he said.

"We've got a new world here, we've got regulatory systems that are pre-internet, how do we divide up the pie and how do we make a sensible operating system for the current environment."

Other changes included redirecting the Censorship Office's focus toward media education for children, in particular. Shanks said the Office's European counterparts were already working out strategies to arm children with more power around media.

That included moving away from telling kids not to watch something, and more towards explaining what's in this Netflix programme, for example, and you choose for yourself.

"We've got to equip them to survive in this world. They are being bombarded with all kinds of marketing material, with all kinds of disinformation and false news. We need to equip them with the skills to critically analyse what they're receiving and kind of navigate that world," he said.

"There's definitely a conversation to be had, we'll be briefing our minster with how we see the landscape and options from here and that will flow into funding down the track I'm sure.

A spokesperson for the incoming Minister of Internal Affairs Tracey Martin said: "I have been informed that the office is in a sustained financial position until 2020 and beyond".