Australia's censorship ministers (*cringe*) have agreed to release the shelved discussion paper on an R18+ rating for games, reports The Age. The topic was previously on indefinite hold following Attorney General Michael Atkinson's unilateral decision not to let the paper become public.
During a recent meeting of the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General, the group, including Atkinson, agreed to finalize the discussion paper and release it by the end of the year (it'll be viewable globally on these here internets). Atkinson did not reveal at the meeting why he changed his mind. An R18+ rating means that games won't be banned for being inappropriate for a 15-year-old.
Reader Comments (19)
Posted: Nov 6th 2008 10:18PM BananaBoat said
The censorship minister shares an office with the minister of book burning, located within the east wing of the ministry of love.
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Posted: Nov 6th 2008 10:25PM (Unverified) said
Meh. It's not as sucky as it sounds. Games here are overpriced (I can import 2 games from overseas for the price of a single game sold here), so if you import you get it uncensored and cheaper.
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Posted: Nov 6th 2008 10:57PM Premature ejaculation man said
I doubt it considering our current currency conversion (60 cents to a US dollar). $60 in US to $100 in AU (normally, 80, unless you shop at EBGames)
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Posted: Nov 6th 2008 10:30PM (Unverified) said
And all Australia wants to do is FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL and a CENSOR and a take your money.
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Posted: Nov 6th 2008 11:45PM iHavePants said
So is this funny because you put it into a song, even though it doesn't really fit at all, or is there another angle to it that I'm missing.
Or are you just high?
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Or are you just high?
Posted: Nov 7th 2008 12:56AM DerickDBrown said
I'm confused. Does this restrict those citizens who are 18 years and older from purchasing something? Will people be paying minors to buy games for them?
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Posted: Nov 7th 2008 11:37AM (Unverified) said
Any game that is too "mature" for the MA15+ rating, which would normally be given an R18+ rating, cannot be sold in Australia because there is no rating category for them to be sold under. Effectively, any game that would be rated R18+ is banned throughout the country.
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Posted: Nov 7th 2008 12:56AM DerickDBrown said
I'm confused. Does this restrict those citizens who are 18 years and older from purchasing something? Will people be paying minors to buy games for them?
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Posted: Nov 7th 2008 7:17AM Saria the Cat said
Hopefully for Australia this doesn't just go the way of the AO rating in the U.S., which is not illegal, but also not carried in any stores.
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Posted: Nov 7th 2008 3:37PM Ghost Toon said
You know I keep hearing from these protester guys about our rights being censored here in the US. Then I look at the UK, many European countries, and Australia and have to say thank god I live in the US of A.
We just censor bad words and boobies and stuff from network TV.
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We just censor bad words and boobies and stuff from network TV.
Posted: Nov 7th 2008 5:31PM MrSpaceCowboy said
We get boob on tv in Aus. Not during prime time mind you, but it's there if you look. (Foreign films on Friday night on SBS)
A note about the good ol' US of A though:
I think it's funny how nudity in media is a bazillion times worse than violence. Boob has more people up in arms more than setting someone on fire... strange.
Personally, I'd rather see boob. :)
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A note about the good ol' US of A though:
I think it's funny how nudity in media is a bazillion times worse than violence. Boob has more people up in arms more than setting someone on fire... strange.
Personally, I'd rather see boob. :)
Posted: Nov 7th 2008 9:06PM (Unverified) said
The reason the paper will be made publicly available on the internet is because Australia will be filtering/censoring the internet, so no Australians will be able to see the papers. :P
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Posted: Nov 8th 2008 9:55PM (Unverified) said
Huh.. Censorship, eh? Glad we don't have a social/liberal president in the good ol' USA to come up with offices to determine what's permissible and not acceptable, geez imagine how that would affect media!
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