It’s been an interesting afternoon in games classifications-land. First off, the South Australian Attorney General John Rau claimed that he’d support an R18+ rating on the proviso that the MA15+ rating was scrapped. Then Gamespot reported that Rau was claiming South Australia would go it alone and launch an R18+ rating regardless of what the Attorneys-General decided at the next SCAG meeting. Turns out that may not actually be the case.
Mark over at Kotaku has been as excitable as a Mexican jumping bean, jumping from phone interview to phone interview in the quest for clarification on whether or not South Australia could actually break away from the other states to launch its own R18+ classification for games. Turns out that they weren’t claiming they’d go it themselves, but would instead support the Federal Government should it decide to change legislation to force the issue if the AGs failed to reach a unanimous decision.
Serrels also spoke to Ron Curry from IGEA who pointed out that even if South Australia could go it alone, it wouldn’t be logistically possible, as it would require publishers to publish different ratings in different states.
The one conclusion that you can draw is that the issue of adult games classifications is coming to a head, and we should have some form of closure sooner rather than later.
[Kotaku]
Peter Simpson
Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 6:57 PMSouth Australia becoming a bastion of progressive policy? Impress me more, please!
Womp
Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 8:05 PMSA already goes it alone on Films. The SA AG’s department has it’s own version of the OFLCA, which, if the Government dislikes a Classification issued by the Federal Government, reclassifies it for the SA market. It is rarely used but it does exist and has been used.
The whole thing about requiring an unanimous decision to make changes to Censorship is scam, like a used car salesman claiming he would like to give you more for your tradin car but his boss won’t “let” him. The only thing unanimous about the SCAG arrangement is that ALL the AGs have agreed to use the same lie.
TheTom
Friday, April 29, 2011 at 5:43 PMSouth Australia’s position on the whole matter is very complex (not to mention strange). They will push for the R18 rating nationwide. They will not introduce it themselvbes if it doesn’t happen nationally.
Here’s the difference: SA will also push for the MA15+ rating to be scraped nationwide. If not, they are perfectly entitled under the current legislation to re-sticker games with an MA15+ rating as R18+ IF it is brought in nationwide.
Tom – Advertiser Newspapers.
Ven
Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 7:35 PMThis policy will be a disaster if it bleeds into film classification. So many films will be edited down by distributors to fit into ‘M’ guidelines. That’s what happened before MA was introduced.
I support this policy for games only, although I’d still prefer if the MA rating remained – but in this freedomless country just getting an R rating is some progress.