Australia making R18+ discussion paper public

by Alexander Sliwinski { Nov 6th 2008 at 10:00PM }

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.

Tags: australia, michael-atkinson, oflc, r18

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

iFester @ Nov 6th 2008 10:12PM

Here's hoping something like this can be put into place in the future. Australia gets shafted on games.

That might be an understatement.

Averna @ Nov 7th 2008 12:36AM

Yeah... it is...

BananaBoat @ Nov 6th 2008 10:18PM

The censorship minister shares an office with the minister of book burning, located within the east wing of the ministry of love.

Azerael @ Nov 6th 2008 10:25PM

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.

Premature ejaculation man @ Nov 6th 2008 10:57PM

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)

Limezor @ Nov 6th 2008 10:30PM

And all Australia wants to do is FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL and a CENSOR and a take your money.

Ihavepants @ Nov 6th 2008 11:45PM

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?

Limezor @ Nov 7th 2008 12:03AM

Both of those.

Ihavepants @ Nov 7th 2008 12:05AM

That's ok then ;)

Derick @ Nov 7th 2008 12:56AM

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?

Fraser @ Nov 7th 2008 11:37AM

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.

Derick @ Nov 7th 2008 12:56AM

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?

Haggard @ Nov 7th 2008 2:59AM

It's good that it's being put to the public so that the stuck-up, out of touch fucked up old bastards in power don't get their way with games.

Saria the Cat @ Nov 7th 2008 7:17AM

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.

ScottG13 @ Nov 7th 2008 10:19AM

Tards like these really lowers my opinion of how badass Australians are. Australia needs minsters that fish barechested and teach Judo like Putin. With less murder, though.

DJBell @ Nov 7th 2008 3:37PM

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.

MrSpaceCowboy @ Nov 7th 2008 5:31PM

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. :)