Rusti
08-12-2009, 07:02
Living in Australia I have constantly been told that we live in the 'lucky country'. Apparently, we're also living in the moral DARK AGES, and mostly due to the work of one man.
Say hello to Michael Atkinson, Attorney General for South Australia.
Mr Michael Atkinson is apparently trying to save Australia from it's own moral degradation.
Mr Atkinson has repeatedly stated his reason for not allowing an R18+ classification for computer games, is to 'protect the children'.
Now - just to clarify, what the various ratings allow. As per the Wikipedia page for the Office of Film and Literature Classification (Australia) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Film_and_Literature_Classification_%28Au stralia%29) the ratings available for Australia are (And I am quoting here):
E (Exempt from classification) — These films may be sold without a specific classification. The assessment of exemption may be made by the distributor or exhibitor (self-assessed) without needing to submit the product for certifying by the Classification Board. Only very specific types of material (including educational material and straight records of artistic performances) can be exempted from classification, and the material cannot contain anything that might lead to an M rating or higher. Self-assessed exempt films cannot use the official marking, although it is advised that films and computer games that are exempt display “This film/computer game is exempt from classification”.
G (General) — These films and computer games are for general viewing. However, G does not necessarily designate a children’s film or game as many of these productions contain content that would be of no interest to children.
The content is very mild in impact.
PG (Parental guidance recommended) — These films and computer games contain material that may confuse or upset younger viewers under 15. Before the 2005 coloured rating scheme was brought in, the original description was "Parental Guidance is recommended for those under the age of 15." This description may be found on older DVDs and video tapes.
The content is mild in impact.
M (Recommended for mature audiences) — These films and computer games contain material that requires a mature perspective, but is still not enough to be deemed too extreme for younger players. This classification was formerly known as M15+, but was changed to simply M to distinguish it from the higher (and restricted) rating of MA15+. The description originally had "Recommended for Mature audiences 15 years and over", though like the above PG rating, the description dropped the 15. This description may be still founded on older DVDs and video tapes. This is the highest unrestricted rating.
The content is moderate in impact.
Restricted
By contrast, the classifications below are legally restricted—i.e., it is illegal to sell or exhibit materials so classified to a person younger than the respective age limit.
MA15+ (Mature Accompanied) - The content is considered unsuitable for exhibition by persons under the age of 15. Persons under 15 may only legally purchase or exhibit MA15+ rated content under the supervision of an adult guardian. This is a legally restricted category.
These ratings are all that presently apply to Computer/Video games in Australia. Anything which is deemed to EXCEED the M15+ simply doesn't get a look in. It's banned, and they're told to come back with a more 'sanitised' version.
So - Going by the ratings, an R18+ rating is to protect children from the age of 15-17.9yrs old, from explicit violence.... Riiigghhttt.....
So all the TV shows and Movies with excessive violence, death and drug use are fine (and in live action). But don't let them have video games which depict it in a digital graphic format. (and yes, that was a dual use of the word graphic there...!)
And lets not forget the books. You can walk into a bookshop - regardless of your age - and buy a book on serial murders [true crime or fiction, doesn't really matter] that has words in there which paint FAR more disturbing scenes in your minds eye, than you'd ever be able to show in any video game... I vividly remember being in high school and picking up a book in a PUBLIC LIBRARY (a hotbed of stored VIOLENCE and AGGRESSION obviously) and reading a scene about this serial killer who cut peoples skulls off so he could put his hand in their brains and kill them by squeezing them to mush... but no-one stopped them from publishing and selling THAT book in Australia did they? And then there's all the books with REALLY REALLY vivid and explicit SEX scenes in them. Let me tell you, my reading skills improved out of sight once I realized the fun to be had in reading! Don't see anyone stopping those from being published...
Of course, Mr Atkinson COULD be relying on the fact that most children are basically illiterate and wouldn't recognize what a book was, let alone how one worked, to be able to read what was in one.
My point being, it's really a little too late for all this don't you think Mr Atkinson? You're trying to nail shit the barn door and all the while the horses are crapping around your front yard and running through your no doubt once immaculate garden beds.
Meanwhile, this ban on R18+ classification achieves NOTHING except making game makers have to issue slightly sanitised versions of their product or, failing that just forget about the Australian game market all together. I would go so far as to say it even robs them of income, and Aussie shops from a share of the profits. After all, it's not like these kids, if they are anything like me and my friends at that age, can't get hold of them ANYWAY. They can either pirate the game themselves, or get their uber-geek friend to download it for them and give them copies at $5/disc.
What would you rather do Mr Atkinson? Encourage software piracy or have some teens playing games that might be aimed a year or 4 above them, with nothing REALLY in them that they haven't seen before, but buying them LEGALLY? Hmmm??
Say hello to Michael Atkinson, Attorney General for South Australia.
Mr Michael Atkinson is apparently trying to save Australia from it's own moral degradation.
Mr Atkinson has repeatedly stated his reason for not allowing an R18+ classification for computer games, is to 'protect the children'.
Now - just to clarify, what the various ratings allow. As per the Wikipedia page for the Office of Film and Literature Classification (Australia) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Film_and_Literature_Classification_%28Au stralia%29) the ratings available for Australia are (And I am quoting here):
E (Exempt from classification) — These films may be sold without a specific classification. The assessment of exemption may be made by the distributor or exhibitor (self-assessed) without needing to submit the product for certifying by the Classification Board. Only very specific types of material (including educational material and straight records of artistic performances) can be exempted from classification, and the material cannot contain anything that might lead to an M rating or higher. Self-assessed exempt films cannot use the official marking, although it is advised that films and computer games that are exempt display “This film/computer game is exempt from classification”.
G (General) — These films and computer games are for general viewing. However, G does not necessarily designate a children’s film or game as many of these productions contain content that would be of no interest to children.
The content is very mild in impact.
PG (Parental guidance recommended) — These films and computer games contain material that may confuse or upset younger viewers under 15. Before the 2005 coloured rating scheme was brought in, the original description was "Parental Guidance is recommended for those under the age of 15." This description may be found on older DVDs and video tapes.
The content is mild in impact.
M (Recommended for mature audiences) — These films and computer games contain material that requires a mature perspective, but is still not enough to be deemed too extreme for younger players. This classification was formerly known as M15+, but was changed to simply M to distinguish it from the higher (and restricted) rating of MA15+. The description originally had "Recommended for Mature audiences 15 years and over", though like the above PG rating, the description dropped the 15. This description may be still founded on older DVDs and video tapes. This is the highest unrestricted rating.
The content is moderate in impact.
Restricted
By contrast, the classifications below are legally restricted—i.e., it is illegal to sell or exhibit materials so classified to a person younger than the respective age limit.
MA15+ (Mature Accompanied) - The content is considered unsuitable for exhibition by persons under the age of 15. Persons under 15 may only legally purchase or exhibit MA15+ rated content under the supervision of an adult guardian. This is a legally restricted category.
These ratings are all that presently apply to Computer/Video games in Australia. Anything which is deemed to EXCEED the M15+ simply doesn't get a look in. It's banned, and they're told to come back with a more 'sanitised' version.
So - Going by the ratings, an R18+ rating is to protect children from the age of 15-17.9yrs old, from explicit violence.... Riiigghhttt.....
So all the TV shows and Movies with excessive violence, death and drug use are fine (and in live action). But don't let them have video games which depict it in a digital graphic format. (and yes, that was a dual use of the word graphic there...!)
And lets not forget the books. You can walk into a bookshop - regardless of your age - and buy a book on serial murders [true crime or fiction, doesn't really matter] that has words in there which paint FAR more disturbing scenes in your minds eye, than you'd ever be able to show in any video game... I vividly remember being in high school and picking up a book in a PUBLIC LIBRARY (a hotbed of stored VIOLENCE and AGGRESSION obviously) and reading a scene about this serial killer who cut peoples skulls off so he could put his hand in their brains and kill them by squeezing them to mush... but no-one stopped them from publishing and selling THAT book in Australia did they? And then there's all the books with REALLY REALLY vivid and explicit SEX scenes in them. Let me tell you, my reading skills improved out of sight once I realized the fun to be had in reading! Don't see anyone stopping those from being published...
Of course, Mr Atkinson COULD be relying on the fact that most children are basically illiterate and wouldn't recognize what a book was, let alone how one worked, to be able to read what was in one.
My point being, it's really a little too late for all this don't you think Mr Atkinson? You're trying to nail shit the barn door and all the while the horses are crapping around your front yard and running through your no doubt once immaculate garden beds.
Meanwhile, this ban on R18+ classification achieves NOTHING except making game makers have to issue slightly sanitised versions of their product or, failing that just forget about the Australian game market all together. I would go so far as to say it even robs them of income, and Aussie shops from a share of the profits. After all, it's not like these kids, if they are anything like me and my friends at that age, can't get hold of them ANYWAY. They can either pirate the game themselves, or get their uber-geek friend to download it for them and give them copies at $5/disc.
What would you rather do Mr Atkinson? Encourage software piracy or have some teens playing games that might be aimed a year or 4 above them, with nothing REALLY in them that they haven't seen before, but buying them LEGALLY? Hmmm??