South Australia to replace MA15+ rating for games with R18+ rating

Thursday, April 28th, 2011

In March, Federal Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor reported that if everybody fails to unanimously agree to a adult-only rating, then the government would be considering other options.

According to Laura Parker, through her GameSpot article, this is exactly what South Australia will be doing, by introducing an adult-only rating, while abandoning the existing MA15+ rating. The South Australian Attorney-General John Rau has stated that his cabinet endorsed the proposal.

I’ve been consulting very broadly on this [issue] for a year now. I’ve been listening to parents and gaming advocates, and I have come to the conclusion that both points of view are legitimate and need to be accommodated. Recent moves by the federal government suggests that there will be an R18+ classification for video games in some form after the July [SCAG] meeting.

Of course, it would be ideal to have a uniform national scheme. That’s why we need to wait now to see how the federal arrangements will shake out. If there is a national opportunity to embrace R18+, South Australia will do it with the quid pro quo that MA15+ is eliminated as a classification and all games that are now rated MA15+ will be made R18+. This is what I want to happen in South Australia.

Laura also reports that the ACT Attorney-General, Simon Corbell, is also considering this approach if there is no unanimous agreement in July.

If the other states agree to introduce the same proposal, then the rating systems for games would be G, PG, M, R18+. This still makes it inconsistent with films that already have an MA15+ rating. Furthermore, the government has no intention of abolishing the Refused Classification category. So if games are still awarded an RC rating, then what’s the point of having an R18+ rating in the first place?

If the MA15+ rating needs to be removed, then why not 1) do it for films as well? and 2) amend the guidelines so that items currently rated MA15+ can fall under the M category and have the rest fall under R18+?

Government to introduce R18+ Games despite opposition

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

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.

O’Connor sets deadline for R18+ Games

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Brendan O’Connor, the Home Affairs Minister, has told GameSpot that he is interested in introducing an R18+ game rating in July.

The Standing Committee of Attorneys-Generals (SCAG) was initially going to decide whether Australia should have the rating on March 4. However, NSW Attorney-General John Hatzistergos has ruled out attending the upcoming SCAG meeting, possibly due to the looming NSW state election. Therefore, the decision cannot be held in March.

But O’Connor believes that the March meeting would be a good time for ministers to examine the new guidelines and make a more concrete decision on how to proceed with the R18+ issue. He also claims that a vote for the new guidelines is a vote for a new R18+ rating.

You can read the full article here.

R18+ decision delayed… again

Friday, December 10th, 2010

According to GameSpot, Attorneys-General across Australia have failed to reach an unanimous decision on whether an R18+ rating is to be introduced, delaying the process until the next SCAG meeting in March 2011.

An hour after Laura Parker’s article, Kotaku had a phone conversation with Brendan O’Connor stated that everyone who attended the SCAG meeting agreed that the rating system needed to be changed. Interestingly, he was asked about the involvement of Western Australia’s Attorney-General, Christian Porter.

“Ah look, Christian has a really open mind about the subject, and he is genuinely worried about the way games are currently falling into childrens hands under MA15+.”

He is not alone when he says this. However, there are some reports that say that he wanted to consult his cabinet ministers before his decision can be made. He had plenty of time before the meeting to discuss this, so there was no reason for the delay. O’Connor went on to mention the new Victoria Attorney-General, Robert Clarke.

“We also had a new Victorian AG, and he’s only been an Attorney General for a few days, so we really need more time to get everything worked out.”

This statement is of concern. Around March, New South Wales will have an election; and if the Coalition win power and a new Attorney-General is appointed, then the decision can be delayed once again.

So we have to wait until March to see what happens. Until then, games such as Splatterhouse, Dead Rising 2, and Call of Duty: Black Ops will continue to be available to minors; and the Classification Board will have a much difficult job classifying games due to a line in the National Classification Code which reads “adults should read, hear and see what they like”.

Government backs R18+ rating

Monday, December 6th, 2010

According to Kotaku Australia, Brendan O’Connor, the Minister for Home Affairs, has recently announced that the Federal Government now support for an introduction of an R18+ rating for video games. In a statement released by O’Connor previously:

“We want to provide better guidance for parents, claimed O’ Connor, “and remove unsuitable material from children and teenagers. The introduction of an R18+ classification will help achieve that.

We believe that this is the right decision for Australian families and the right decision for parents who want to be able to make informed choices about the games their children play.

“Children and teenagers shouldn’t be exposed to the gratuitous sex, violence and adult themes that are contained in some computer games.

“There are dozens of games that are currently classified as MA15+ in Australia, but in other countries these gaming titles are restricted to adults only.

“If the new category is introduced, it could result in computer games that are currently classified MA15+ being reclassified R18+, providing a new level of protection for children.

But it will be up to the Attorney-Generals on Friday to decide whether or not an R18+ rating is introduced.

However, question marks hang over the heads of some Attorneys-General that would actually support the new rating. There is already word that Western Australia’s Christian Porter might oppose the new rating, and we have have no idea of the position taken by newly elected Victorian Attorney-General, Robert Sercombe.

Let’s hope that on Friday common sense prevails.