Ministers fail to agree on game rating change

jumphonner · Mar 28, 2008

Ministers fail to agree on game rating change

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The issue of whether to create an R18+ classification for video games will be put to public consultation following a meeting of censorship ministers today.

Specific details on how the public will be consulted have yet to be finalised but it is expected a consultation paper will be ready for the next Standing Committee of Attorneys-General (SCAG) meeting.

The only decision out of today's SCAG meeting was that there would be a public consultation.

Australia is the only developed country without an R18+ classification for games, meaning any titles that do not meet the MA15+ standard - such as those with excessive violence or sexual content - are simply banned from sale by the Classification Board.

Any changes to the censorship regime must be agreed on by the Commonwealth and all state and territory attorneys-general.

Victorian Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls has pushed hard for an adults only classification for games but was greeted with significant opposition from South Australia's Attorney-General, Michael Atkinson, who argued he was protecting children from "harmful material".

In a statement today, Hulls said his department's analysis of research on the issue suggested there were persuasive arguments to support an R18+ classification.

He said the latest generation of gaming platforms allowed parents to control their child's access to appropriate gaming material and Australia was out of step with the rest of the developed world on this issue.

"I believe that censorship laws should strike an appropriate balance between freedom of expression and community concerns about depictions that condone or incite violence, as well as the principle that minors should be protected from material likely to harm or disturb them," he said.

"It seems inconsistent that in Australia, adults are allowed to view 'adult only' films which have been classified R18+ by the Classification Board, but not computer games with an equivalent high level content."

Research conducted by Bond University in Queensland for the IEAA found that the average age of Australian gamers is 28 and over 50 per cent of gamers are over 18.

Another survey of 1601 Australian households, conducted by the university in 2005, found 88 per cent of Australians supported an R18+ classification for games.

In a speech to South Australia's State Parliament this month, Atkinson acknowledged blocking the R18+ rating would deny adults choice, but this was necessary as the alternative would allow children easy access to "potentially harmful material".

"Games may pose a far greater problem than other media - particularly films - because their interactive nature could exacerbate their impact," he said.

Ron Curry, CEO of the games industry body, the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia (IEAA), welcomed today's decision to consult the public on the issue.

"Our belief is that good legislation comes from a reflection of community sentiment, so the process that the attorney-general is outlining gives us the opportunity to move this into the public forum for discussion," he said.

"We understand that there is a robust legislative process that things must go through, so we have to work through that whole process."

Welshman · Mar 28, 2008

Re: Ministers fail to agree on game rating change

That be right we pay the the Knobs Millions per year for them to pass the buck :

JJ · Mar 28, 2008

Re: Ministers fail to agree on game rating change

given that what's-his-face Atkinson had already come out and said he would be against it and there needed to be 100% votes for it, this was a foregone conclusion. what a crock of shit.

Tails · Mar 28, 2008

Re: Ministers fail to agree on game rating change

Thats what happens when we have ministers still living under a rock. As long as there is access to the internet, these content that he deems unsuitable to childern can still be easily obtained... just like porn and everything else under the sun. Wish he'll pull his head out of his arse, maybe then he'll be able to think with some common sense.

Where there is will.. there is a way...

WhaCk · Mar 29, 2008

Re: Ministers fail to agree on game rating change

Hmmm Me thinks we send them a invite to join OLDr!....and we can deliver the message in a more appropriate way

pentu · Mar 29, 2008

Re: Ministers fail to agree on game rating change

WhaCk said:

Hmmm Me thinks we send them a invite to join OLDr!....and we can deliver the message in a more appropriate way

Agreed, Whack, and in case you lot are asleep, at the time, tell them to look over the road at TOG too. ;D ;D

When are these idiots going to get out of the 19th Century

RJG · Mar 30, 2008

Re: Ministers fail to agree on game rating change

Hooray for leaving us to piracy! Instead of actually supporting companies, they've left us with no choice but to import or pirate the games available, and since most consoles have regional lockout, there's only one option available.

Gluesticky · May 12, 2008

That is probably what they want though, to make it hard for the companies that create those games that they dont want people to play.

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Ministers fail to agree on game rating change

jumphonner OLDr! Accountant

Welshman OLDr GC

JJ OLDr

Tails Sir AFK

WhaCk Retired GC

pentu Retired GC

RJG OLDr

Gluesticky OLDr

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