The ABC have an article up on our lousy games classification. Yes, it's another one of those articles. Now, I'm sure you've read plenty of reports like these before, and therefore are well informed of the many reasons why having an R-rating for games makes perfect and logical sense. In the article, The Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia (IEAA) goes through some of the those reasons and what it means for us gamers, and I'm going to save you some time and cut to the part of the article which I found interesting. CEO of the IEAA, Chris Hanlon said...
"[Singapore] are about to introduce a comprehensive classification system for games which includes a R rating," Mr Hanlon said."So soon we'll be the only country in the world with no R for games."
Yep, that's right. The only country in THE WORLD.
That title will soon be all ours, and ours alone. Stand proud, folks!!!
AAARRGHHHH.... they drive me insane.... WHY?!?!?!!????? WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY???????????????????
Idiots!!!
Why? Conservative forces in the State governments.
Michael Atkinson in SA, for example. At the 2002 meeting of Attorney Generals on this very topic, he voted against it because he was playing politics.
Furthermore, his reasoning was that an R-Rating would not prevent the games getting in the hands of children.
For more information visit:
refused-classification dot com
Conservative forces in the State governments? So much for State Labor governments then.
I heard about this on the radio. I know 3 people in my high school that are entering.
R rating is meaningless to me personally.
With or without an R rating kids will get the R rated games. I've seen kids as young as six playing GTA so they'll play worse if they get access to it.
With bit-torrent it will be improbable that children who don't want the latest copy of Manhunt 2 or GTA IV or School Bully or Politiically Incorrect Video Game XXIX won't be able to get it.
R Rating overseas is meaningless as well due to self censorship in the industry. This is because Sony and Nintendo won't license games for PS2/3 or Cube/Wii if they are warrant a R rating and the US chain stores who represent 75(percent) of sales in the US won't stock them.
FunkyJ is right, it was SA Attorney General Michael Atkinson (ALP) who you have to blame for the current farce. The rules are that all of the state A-G's have to agree on classification proposals for them to become federal legislation. If one opposes then the federal A-G has to side with them and veto it, even if they think otherwise.
Michael Atkinson has ties to conservative christian organisations Festival of Light and the evangelical churches behind Family First, who lobbied him on this and for SA to review the federal classifications of some books and movies.