News went out that the SA Attorneys-General Michael Atkinson has just 'censored the censorship debate' to quote The Age.
Now what gets to me is this, Australia likes to call itself a representative democracy, yet one man's opinion can effectively censor the nation. Can we stand with the rest of the 'free world' and claim to be a 'free' nation when one man's opinion can do this?
Gg. The best part? Games that get R18/17 classifications else-where like Far Cry 2 (UK, 18+) or Dead Space (USA, 17+) get 15+ tags here. He's not protecting anybody, he's just being ignorant.
Link to the article.NEWS.com Article wrote:
The long-running debate on an adult rating for games in Australia may have been shut down by South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson.
The debate was renewed last March when the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General (SCAG) agreed to public consultation on an R18+ games classification.
However Mr Atkinson has rejected plans to publish the consultation results, effectively shelving the discussion process.
Unlike film, video games can only be classified up to MA15+, and the law cannot be changed without the consent of the Commonwealth and each state and territory attorney-general.
A study released by the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia (IEAA) this week showed 91 per cent of Australian respondents – both gamers and non-gamers – support an R18+ rating for games.
It also showed that the average age of Australian gamers is now 30, and only 1 per cent of all games classified in the last year exceeded an MA15+ rating.
Mr Atkinson has spoken out against an R18+ rating for games repeatedly, telling South Australian state parliament earlier this year that children needed to be protected from adult games.
A spokesperson for Victorian Attorney-General Rob Hulls, a supporter of the ratings change, told Fairfax while the issue was formally still on the SCAG agenda, "it appears unlikely that there will be unanimity from all jurisdictions to proceed further at this stage with introducing an R18+ category for computer games."
Australia is the only developed country without an adult rating for games.
Now what gets to me is this, Australia likes to call itself a representative democracy, yet one man's opinion can effectively censor the nation. Can we stand with the rest of the 'free world' and claim to be a 'free' nation when one man's opinion can do this?
Gg. The best part? Games that get R18/17 classifications else-where like Far Cry 2 (UK, 18+) or Dead Space (USA, 17+) get 15+ tags here. He's not protecting anybody, he's just being ignorant.
Whoa... Can't believe these forums are still kicking.