South Australia Stumbles Over Game Ratings

Andy Chalk

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Nov 12, 2002
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South Australia Stumbles Over Game Ratings


The state of South Australia is moving to ban the sale of videogames rated MA15+ to anyone under the age of 18.

South Australia may no longer be the stomping grounds of notorious game-hating Attorney General Michael Atkinson but it's still proving to be a thorn in the side of anyone who'd like to see a rational, functional videogame rating system in the nation of Australia. After years of refusing to compromise on the issue, former AG Atkinson stepped aside [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/99385-Michael-Atkinsons-Successor-is-an-R18-Supporter] in early 2010 and was replaced by John Rau, heralded at the time as a "supporter" of R18+ videogame ratings. But his position on the matter since then has proven to be a little less black-and-white.

Last summer, as an R18+ rating for games began to look increasingly inevitable, Rau declared that South Australia would take things further by dumping the MA15+ rating [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/111703-South-Australia-Continues-to-Make-Life-Difficult] and moving all such games to the higher category, thereby making them harder for "children" to get their hands on. But the idea of establishing a de facto independent rating system for the state is "bizarre," as Opposition Justice Spokesman Stephen Wade put it, putting South Australian retailers at a disadvantage and possibly even threatening to throw the whole process into disarray.

Since eliminating the MA15+ rating is more problematic than he expected, Rau has decided on a "more practical measure" that will accomplish effectively the same thing. Under new "complementary legislation," both MA15+ and R18+ games will be legally unavailable to anyone under the age of 18 in South Australia.

"My long-stated position has been to protect children by creating a clearer distinction between games that may be suitable for children and those that are suitable only for adults," Rau told Gamespot.au [http://www.gamespot.com/news/south-australia-planning-to-restrict-ma15-games-to-18-year-olds-6369342]. "Therefore, my intention is that the South Australian legislation will prevent the sale of MA15+ games to minors. This move will give parents greater certainty about the appropriateness of games for their children."

A rep said that details about how the new law will work will be revealed "in due course." Rau wants the proposed legislation introduced to Parliament in May, although it must first be approved by cabinet.


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Evilsanta

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Apr 12, 2010
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Since I little knowledge on how to change game ratings...But why is it hard to freaking change it?
What's so hard about just slapp on 18 age rating instead of a 15+ one, let's say GTA(Insert nr or City here)?

Is the one's against it that is the biggest problem or what?

Could someone enlighten me.

EDIT: Ignore this post. I am/was tired when I posted this and I can't grasp what the hell I wanted to say with this.
 

UnderGlass

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Jan 12, 2012
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We-ll, I guess I can see what he's trying to do. Seems like an attempt to force parents in his state to be the ones to actually buy mature games. Hopefully ensuring they're giving their kids games they want them to be playing.

Considering the nature of many of the titles that have currently made it to the Australian MA15+ bracket (games very often rated higher in other countries) this might not be a bad compromise for the new legislation.

Remember, the important thing is that the broken Australian rating system will now finally recognise video games as a medium also enjoyed by adults; putting a stop to the absurd banning or censoring of games unfit for minors.
 

RhombusHatesYou

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Mar 21, 2010
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DVS BSTrD said:
For fucks sake Australia! England threw you lot out because you couldn't stop breaking laws. What makes you think you have any business trying to write your own?

South Australia was never a penal colony.

The way my state government acts at times it may have served a period as a penile colony though.
 

Richardplex

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Jun 22, 2011
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Evilsanta said:
Since I little knowledge on how to change game ratings...But why is it hard to freaking change it?
What's so hard about just slapp on 18 age rating instead of a 15+ one, let's say GTA(Insert nr or City here)?

Is the one's against it that is the biggest problem or what?

Could someone enlighten me.
Because it would only be one state of a country that this would apply for. And I don't understand your thought process, it doesn't matter how they are doing it, the net result is the same; people under 18 can't get games that anywhere else would be available for people over 15.
 

Evilsanta

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Apr 12, 2010
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Richardplex said:
Evilsanta said:
Since I little knowledge on how to change game ratings...But why is it hard to freaking change it?
What's so hard about just slapp on 18 age rating instead of a 15+ one, let's say GTA(Insert nr or City here)?

Is the one's against it that is the biggest problem or what?

Could someone enlighten me.
Because it would only be one state of a country that this would apply for. And I don't understand your thought process, it doesn't matter how they are doing it, the net result is the same; people under 18 can't get games that anywhere else would be available for people over 15.
Well, Me neither...And I have now learned the valuble lesson to never post while tired.

So yeah, I have no idea what I wanted to say with that.
 

Jumpingbean3

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May 3, 2009
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One step forward, two steps back.

I award Mr Rau Captcha: nul points (and may God have mercy on his soul).
 

TitanAura

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Jun 30, 2011
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So basically he wants to ban video games without calling it banning video games. This was the "pizza is a vegetable" debate before that was even a thing.
 

Zenode

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Jan 21, 2009
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Dear South Australia State Government:

Stop making the rest of us looks silly

Sincerely
The other states/territories.

EDIT: Actually reading over the laws thoroughly, it more seems that he wants to the MA15+ rating to act as a kind of de-facto 18+ rating until it is actually enacted.
 

Andronicus

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Mar 25, 2009
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Pfft, I never liked the MA rating anyway; too little distinction between M15+ and MA15+. Still, I guess that's not the point. I don't get why everybody down here has to do every little thing their way; lack of consistency only makes the issue worse. Who's going to tale the law seriously if not even the elected decision-makers can agree on something?
 

ResonanceSD

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Dec 14, 2009
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RhombusHatesYou said:
DVS BSTrD said:
For fucks sake Australia! England threw you lot out because you couldn't stop breaking laws. What makes you think you have any business trying to write your own?

South Australia was never a penal colony.

The way my state government acts at times it may have served a period as a penile colony though.
Except its capital wss designed by a convict.

Dunno. I live in NSW and just avoid games that get watered down.
 

Jabberwock King

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Mar 27, 2011
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Wait, by making MA15+ functionally the same as R18+, doesn't that defeat the purpose of having an intermediate rating between R18+ and "proper stuff?"