Government to introduce R18+ Games despite opposition
According to Adelaide Now, the Federal Minister for Home Affairs, Brendan O’Connor, is flexing his muscles again by challenging state governments to agree to an R18+ rating for video games.
We’re becoming the laughing stock of the developed world, where we’re the only country that doesn’t have an R18 classification level for video games. I foreshadow that if there is not a consensus around this issue, the Commonwealth will certainly be considering other options because we cannot continue to have an outdated classification system that’s actually, in my view, causing harm to young people. I’m not going to let this matter end because it’s too important to allow one or two jurisdictions to stop the majority of jurisdictions in this country moving on an important reform. But can I say my very strong preference is to have consensus around the table in July.
So even if one or states oppose the rating, the Federal Government is still going to introduce one whether the states like it or not, therefore overturning a undemocratic law which states all censorship ministers must agree to a change in censorship laws.
What needs to happen is enormous pressure being put on politicians to amend the laws so that in the end only a majority of votes can implement the change we really need.
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pariah says:
Well, this is interesting… I’ll be eager to see what happens next!
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Nick says:
Brendan O’Connor could become a savior for Australian gamers, finally ending the long, undemocratic and stupid period where games could not be rated R18 for absoloutley no reason.
Please, let this turn into a winning hand for us.
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Albert says:
Using the NZ rating system as reference, Yes we might be a lot closer to the Amazing R18+ for Aussie videogames. However, games can still be refused classification. (Nz R/C = Manhunt 1&2, Postal 1,2&3 to name some) But, if this new rating keeps out future, little 6-15 y.o’s away from gratuitous violence, sex & language… then I welcome this with open arms. (while still importing the R/C titles that the board deems “too intense” for us adults) However I still feel that many un-educated parents will still buy their children these games, ” ’cause Joeys’ mom bought him one!”
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Bindi Irwin says:
Hi Albert. You can check the NZ OFLC search..
http://www.censorship.govt.nz/DDA/Pages/Screens/DDA/DecisionSearchCriteriaPage.aspx
Postal 3 has it even been classified yet? Doesn’t appear to be… Searching for Postal brings up just Postal the movie, and the Postal 2 games that are mentioned below.
Apparently the first Manhunt was the first game to be banned in NZ according to articles on the net. What does this mean for Postal 1; it’s like a 1997 game and Manhunt is 2003; was Postal 1 ever seen by the NZ OFLC?
“Manhunt 2 was not submitted by the game’s producers. A pirated copy of the game was seized by Customs, and submitted for classification.”
http://www.censorship.govt.nz/news-archive/news-archive-current-Manhunt2.html
A search for games classified Objectionable in their database brings up only 4 titles. I read a PDF file on their site last year:
http://www.censorship.govt.nz/pdfword/Games-Classification-Update-July-2010.pdf
..listing all games banned and this is what it said:
Postal 2: Share The Pain, Postal 2 demo game, Reservoir Dogs, Manhunt, Manhunt 2 (enforcement), Rapelay (enforcement), Three Sisters’ Story (enforcement).
This list seems to be still current.
I’m just guessing that the last 2 games were most likely sent to the board via customs.
“Objectionable” = illegal to sell, illegal to own, possess, or import. (as it says in the pdf)
..get all the games newsletters back to December ’09:
http://www.censorship.govt.nz/news-archive/news-archive-old-newsletters.html
and scroll down
pretty handy… I’ve read them all.. their bannings are really rare. – unlike ours.
On this page:
http://www.censorship.govt.nz/news-archive/news-archive-newsletters.html
You can get a Excel spreadsheet with all classified game to February 2011.
http://www.censorship.govt.nz/pdfword/classified-games-to-28-February-2011.xls
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follow up says:
Baring in mind that all the innocent games go straight into NZ from Australia with Aussie G PG M ratings and NZ equivalent stickers are placed over them.. or perhaps they don’t even bother with that..
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Concerned Australian says:
Thanks for the insight Bindi, I simply -assumed- postal 1&3 were/are Rc since i couldn’t find any record of them being sold in that country, (I’m also aware postal 3 is still in development)
my source is
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_banned_video_games
yes its not as bad as australia, however i was stipulating that the Nz rating system is FAR more comprehensive than ours here…
Again, thanks heaps for the research details. =o)
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Justin says:
To the Federal Government of Australia, I say well done. It’s about time you pulled your socks up and force our nanny-state country into something that will be for the better, no matter what anyone else thinks.
Keep it up, there may just be hope for Australia yet.
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Wil says:
If you are under the age of 18 you cant buy the game, simple as that! If the parents buy it for their children that should be there problem, not the governments
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BrendonD says:
Honestly it’s stupid it took this long for it to happen. i would understand if this was several years ago when games were more tailored for the younger population. but those times have come and gone and games, like movies and books are now made for every age/social/etc group
what i am saying is, don’t edit/ban games because you’re afraid kids are going to play it, it’s not fair to the adults who enjoy playing an hour here and there to relieve stress/relax/have fun. plus really, the argument of “Kids will play it and learn from it” is stupid because
1. The Parents should enforce there kids what is right and what is wrong. that is what a parent is meant to do last time i checked not blame everyone
2. movies and TV in general have far worse content in ALL types of genres available that kids can watch ON DEMAND
3. Have you heard any of Justin Biebers songs? blame him, not games for kids going nuts/committing suicide/ out of control violence due to crap music, if you can’t blame the parents
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Joel R says:
Saw an update on the issue today.
Get this;
The new R rating wont mean we have more freedom at all.
The R rating is going to take the place of MA15+.
Eg: new Gears of war 3 might be placed into the R18 rating instead of it’s MA rating.
So MA15+ is going to be the new R and games like Mortal kombat are still banned because they dont fit into the R rating which is actually MA15+
Its a scam.
On paper we will have a R rating and the world will think we’ve been liberated but in practice were no better off and 15 year olds wont be able to play games they currently enjoy.
They just wont give up.
http://au.gamespot.com/news/6305149.html?tag=recent_news%3Btitle%3B2
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strongbad says:
woo L4D2.. i would actually buy it now.. i had to buy it from hong kong and it stopped working about a month into it
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Justin says:
@ Joel R
Actually if you read it properly, it states that games currently modified in order to fit into the MA15+ category will become unmodified, and have an R18+ rating given.
It also states that games that have been refused classification will more than likely stay that way, but it is referring to those sorts of games that have graphic depictions of sexual violence etc. So for those of you hoping for Postal 2 to be allowed…it’s not going to happen.
The report states that games that have missed out on an MA15+ rating due to a few little things (eg: Mortal Kombat) will possibly have their RC status revoked and will be put into the R18+ category.
It is not a scam. Australia’s Federal Government is trying to update an archaic system, and whatever shape the new system takes, it will be better for all of us.
As much fun as it is to speculate what we’ll be allowed to play in the near future…it’s pointless to speculate because that is all it is – speculation. No one really knows what will happen when the R18+ rating is introduced.
*Dreaming of L4D3 unmodified XD*
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Concerned Australian says:
After reading that interview… I somehow get the feeling that Adult Aussie Gamers are still getting shafted… I’ll stick with importing for a few more years before I’m comfortable with the Govs’ decision…
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Joel R says:
I hope you’re right. Christian and Family groups are getting upset over it atm so I take that as a sign things could be changing.
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Troy says:
Although I really want a R18+ rating I have to admit I feel the same way Concerned Australian does in that I feel that we will still get screwed in some way or the other.
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Troy says:
I read that article in that link posted by Joel R and like I said I had a feeling we would still get screwed I mean seriously why can’t they just keep the MA15+ rating and have a R18 rating as well.
Because like Joel R said Mortal Kombat will still not get released because it does not fit into a R18 rating if that is the case then there is no point what so ever replacing the MA15+ rating with a R18+ rating.
Because like I said we are still getting screwed over and if this is how the new rating system is going to work it will still piss adult gamers off because games like Mortal Kombat will still be getting banned people will keep importing and these idiots who make these decisions will never wake up to themselves by just introducing a R18+ rating but at he same time keeping a MA15+ rating because remember movies have both a R18+ and a MA15+ rating so why can’t games.
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Concerned Australian says:
although as a hypothetical… How would everyone classify games (with examples) if the MA15+ was to still hang about? (I’m only curious)
E – Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego
G – Wii Sports, Viva Pinata
PG – Ghostbusters, MotorStorm
M – Dead or Alive 4, Blazing Angels
MA – Borderlands, Army of Two, Bad Company 2
R – Gears of War, ManHunt, Black Ops
Is it so difficult to add in an extra rating system? One that keeps our younger generations from the more ADULT games?
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shannon says:
If they RC’d Dike Nukem i would personally blackmail all SCAG members.
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Forrest Looft says:
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Ilce Peskovski says:
I agree with all you guys. When i took the first look into this game, i loved everything about it. I’ve been a Mortal Kombat fan for a long time & for me to hear and read all this about the game being band is just honestly SUX. I think its not fair on the team who put all this time & effort together out to release this game & then knocked back.
This screws everything up for all of in & i just think that if parents do not wise for there kids to go no where near these games and play them then i guess that’s there responsibility to ensure that they don’t get there hands on this game or to view any violence shown in this game.
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Speelns4luzarz says:
i’m just happy that atkinson is out of the way. the guy was a major pain in the arse for all gamers. now that he is gone the country can develop from the caveman style ways that was atkinsons.
cant believe his main bitch about it was “think of the children”. plain and simple. R18 = adults only. not children. duhhhhhhh
as for reclassifying games that have already been banned or edited, hope it happens cause i want L4D2 to be vamped to the way it was supposed to be. so maybe then i can actualy have FUN while playing it.
can someone possibly give me the exact date the answer goes public cause i wanna throw one hell of a celebration party if it goes through and we are alowed a R18 classification for games
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unknown says:
Fuck the people who banned mortal kombat 9. im importing it for now. BYeee
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Kim says:
Brendan O’Connor is my homeboy! I sincerely hope that he is able to persuade the rest of the Government to act on this stupid issue and give us our R Rating. I have been a loyal fan of Mortal Kombat for years and when I found out about the RC whack that it recieved I almost died. This is rediculous!
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neil says:
about time they got off their ass & get it approved, heck the states have R rating yet u cant say ass or shit on TV there but u can here, u cant drink or buy grog till ur 21 over there (18 here) so u cant tell us having R rated games will do more damage then alcohol would, seriously our government needs to grow a pair, heck manhunt 1 should have been rated R, u could kill sum1 with a plastic bag which is realistic & was only rated MA15+ yet mortal kombat which is imaginary killings & sutff gets banned, there jus games & ANY1 who see’s something on a game & goes & does it obv has some sort of mental problem & how come they can make R rated movies that only ppl over 18 can c but they cant make R rated games that only ppl ova 18 can buy & if parents buy it for a child under 18 they take responsibility & cop the wrap if the kid does something wrong that they see on the game
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doug says:
As a gamer and a christian I can’t seem to understand what the ALC has against the R+ rating for gaming really what they are saying is that the current system, which allows minors the ability to purchase high level viloence, sexual references, themes and course language, is perfect the way it is, my question to them is if god gave adults free will and the right too choose our own path then why won’t they allow us the same rights, if they want to protect their kids DON’T buy them the games but please do not force the rest of the free people in this democratic nation to follow the systems broken rules because your lack of parenting has forced you to blame your mistakes on the system.