MORE than 30 child experts are calling for a ban on the sale of pornographic magazines such as Playboy and Penthouse and other soft porn material from newsagents, milkbars, convenience stores, supermarkets and petrol stations.

The group has asked censorship ministers to review the rules on which the so-called lads' mags such as People, The Picture, Zoo and Ralph are reviewed, saying they are increasingly explicit and contributing to the sexualisation of children.

Calls for ban ... Playboy.

A letter to the standing committee of attorneys-general/censorship ministers signed by a former chief justice of the Family Court, Alastair Nicholson, the chief executive of World Vision, Tim Costello, the actor Noni Hazlehurst and 34 academics, child professionals and advocates says such material should be restricted to adults-only premises.

They are particularly disturbed by the prevalence of ''teen sex'' magazines featuring women apparently aged more than 18 but looking younger and styled with braces and pigtails but in highly sexualised poses and sometimes performing sex acts. Under Australian censorship laws it is illegal to use under-age models or models who appear to be under 18.