Former Aussie Premier Calls for R18+ Game Rating

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
45,698
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Former Aussie Premier Calls for R18+ Game Rating


Peter Beattie, the former Premier of Queensland who called for a ban on Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure [http://www.amazon.com/Fable-Xbox/dp/B0002IZICK/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1278445374&sr=8-13] in 2005, now says it's time for Australia to "grow up" and introduce at R18+ rating for videogames.

My, how times change. In 2005, Peter Beattie, then the Premier of the Australian state of Queensland, called for a ban [http://www.refused-classification.com/YourVote_B.htm#BEATTIEPETER] on Fable and Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, the former because it encouraged violence against women and the latter because "it glorifies high-risk, law-breaking, violent and even deadly behavior."

"[Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure] has worrying potential to steer impressionable young people into activities that will endanger life and limb and earn them criminal records," he said. "Anything less than a national ban would not prevent young people from accessing the game."

But just listen to him now. Reflecting on his experience at the 2010 edition of E3 in an op-ed for The Australian [http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/gamers-need-long-pants-not-ill-fitting-squarepants/story-e6frg6zo-1225887105651], Beattie wrote, "I talked to industry representatives from across the world and, frankly, I was mildly embarrassed for Australia."

He laid out a comprehensive argument in support of an R18+ rating for Australia, most of which we're already familiar with: 98 percent of those who responded to the government's request for submissions on the matter were in favor of an R18+ rating, the average gamer is 34 years old with a university degree and the inherent "naivete" of the belief that the lack of an adult rating will keep adult games out of the country.

"We've done it with movies for years. In a way, we do it with the labeling of food ingredients. More information helps consumers avoid the things they want to avoid," he continued. "There's no difference here. Introducing an R18+ classification for video games in Australia is a no-brainer."

Beattie also acknowledged that the creation of a new rating for videogames would require unanimous consent from state-level attorneys-general, but said that with a certain someone out of the picture, there's now a real opportunity to make it happen.

"With Michael Atkinson having retired from that post at the recent state election, South Australian Premier Mike Rann and his new Attorney-General, John Rau (and the bureaucrats who advise him), have a real opportunity to support a sensible change that will be good for parents, good for kids, and good for a booming new industry employing lots of Australians," he wrote. "It's time to make an R18+ classification for video games a reality."



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obisean

May the Force Be With Me
Feb 3, 2009
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What game is he (or a family member) looking to play that wont make it past the ratings board...?
 

Not G. Ivingname

New member
Nov 18, 2009
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Andy Chalk said:
A politican that admits he was wrong without some kind of huge scandel but after talking with experts and thinking it over?

O_O

IT IS THE END! WERE ALL GOING TO DIE!
 

Booze Zombie

New member
Dec 8, 2007
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It seems not-being-a-politician-anymore makes you more reasonable.

Who would've thought it?
 

vallorn

Tunnel Open, Communication Open.
Nov 18, 2009
2,309
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wow. this was unexpected.

Dangit Australia! You cancelled the weekly Atkinson sketch show and now this!! looks like im going to have to get my laughs/terror from Kotick from now on...
 

Kiefer13

Wizzard
Jul 31, 2008
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Well, this is good. Nice to see a politician admit that they were wrong for once. Although from the way the article talks about it, I'm not sure if he's actively admitting that he was wrong, or just acting like he was never against it in the first place. Still, hopefully Australia's government will grow up and implement an adult rating soon.

[small]I still don't see how Fable encouraged violence against women though, or could even have been seen to do so. Anyone else have any idea what he was going on about there?[/small]
 

crimsonshrouds

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Mar 23, 2009
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Not G. Ivingname said:
Andy Chalk said:
A politican that admits he was wrong without some kind of huge scandel but after talking with experts and thinking it over?

O_O

IT IS THE END! WERE ALL GOING TO DIE!
My exact thoughts. O_O

In all seriousness we need more politicians like this guy. A person willing to admit to making a mistake without a scandal is a real honest person or more honest than other politicians.
 

vallorn

Tunnel Open, Communication Open.
Nov 18, 2009
2,309
1
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Booze Zombie said:
It seems not-being-a-politician-anymore makes you more reasonable.

Who would've thought it?
anyone in britan whos witnessed Gordon Brown drop off the radar like a small goat from a mountain [/tedious analogy]
 

vallorn

Tunnel Open, Communication Open.
Nov 18, 2009
2,309
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crimsonshrouds said:
Not G. Ivingname said:
Andy Chalk said:
A politican that admits he was wrong without some kind of huge scandel but after talking with experts and thinking it over?

O_O

IT IS THE END! WERE ALL GOING TO DIE!
My exact thoughts. O_O

In all seriousness we need more politicians like this guy. A person willing to admit to making a mistake without a scandal is a real honest person or more honest than other politicians.
enter... Boris Johnson...
 

JayDub147

New member
Jun 13, 2009
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It's always nice to know that no matter how much people can seem set in their ways, they are still capable of learning.
 

Jack and Calumon

Digimon are cool.
Dec 29, 2008
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Getting up? That street tagging game? That should not be banned.

Anyway, I tried to concentrate on the article, but like Vegeta heard when Dodoria was talking about the Earthlings he was following, that picture just says "Hit me! Right in the face, Do it!"

Anyways, it looks like australia can finally take off it's rose tinted glasses and see the world how it is in the virtual realm soon. Of course, Australia doesn't regulate Xbox Live which about 5 minutes of that would earn the age rating of R18+ for "Encouraging Children to talk foul offences about others, other people's family relations, and display hostile actions of such gruesome detail by depicting children, who are reminded to do their chores during all this behaivour, committing such acts."

Calumon: I got nothing to say, so here's the argument which Jack had with someone on the PSN.

Mr Idiot: Oh my god Catkid! Don't plant the Bomb!

Me: What? Why not? It's the whole point of the game and we have 10 seconds left!

Mr Stuipid: I can kill 'em all before then Fag! I got my Spas and all my 'nades! I can... OH WHAT THE FUCK CATKID!

Me: We were gonna lose! Now defend it!

Mr Moron: Now they know where we fucking are! Fucking great plan Catkid! I'm gonna stab you for this.

Me: Yeah? You gonna stab me?

Senor stupida: Yeah, I'm gonna get a machete and cut your throat and then I'm gonna plough your mom cos I got a 15 inch dick you motherfucking piece of shit!

Me: IdiotTwelveYearOldBeingStupidsayWhat?

Oh come on, He wouldn't: What? Wait, FUCK! YOU FUCKING PRICK I'M GONNA... No Mom, that was Sis. She's not in? Where is she? I'm not changing the subject!

Me: Think you better apologise to your mom kid.

This is gonna end well: THAT'S FUCKING IT YOU COCKSUCKING LITTLE FUCKING FUCKHEAD! I'M GONNA CUT YOU UP AND FUCK EVERY MOTHERFUCKING HOLE I MAKE WITH MY GOD-FUCKING-DAMN KNIFE AND WHEN I'M DONE I'M GONNA SHOVE MY DICK WHERE YOU FUCKING EYES USED TO FUCKING BE AND THEN I'M GONNA GRAB YOUR BALLS AND... NOT NOW MOM! HE STARTED IT! NOOO! THIS IS MY ROOM! GET OUT! I DON'T WANNA PUT CLOTHES ON! I WANT THE CURTAINS OPEN!

Me: This is going to burned in my memory for a while.

Guess who: FUCK OFF YOU FUCKING RETAR- He left the game.

Then, a minute later I saw this and thought it was appropriate.
 

tomtom94

aka "Who?"
May 11, 2009
3,373
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The problem, as proved in the rest of the world, is not the rating system itself but its enforcement.
You cannot and will not stop kids getting their parents to buy 18s.
And when that happens, we end up with the latest "video game controversy".
 

Dr. wonderful

New member
Dec 31, 2009
3,260
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Jack and Calumon said:
Getting up? That street tagging game? That should not be banned.

Anyway, I tried to concentrate on the article, but like Vegeta heard when Dodoria was talking about the Earthlings he was following, that picture just says "Hit me! Right in the face, Do it!"

Anyways, it looks like australia can finally take off it's rose tinted glasses and see the world how it is in the virtual realm soon. Of course, Australia doesn't regulate Xbox Live which about 5 minutes of that would earn the age rating of R18+ for "Encouraging Children to talk foul offences about others, other people's family relations, and display hostile actions of such gruesome detail by depicting children, who are reminded to do their chores during all this behaivour, committing such acts."

Calumon: I got nothing to say, so here's the argument which Jack had with someone on the PSN.

Mr Idiot: Oh my god Catkid! Don't plant the Bomb!

Me: What? Why not? It's the whole point of the game and we have 10 seconds left!

Mr Stuipid: I can kill 'em all before then Fag! I got my Spas and all my 'nades! I can... OH WHAT THE FUCK CATKID!

Me: We were gonna lose! Now defend it!

Mr Moron: Now they know where we fucking are! Fucking great plan Catkid! I'm gonna stab you for this.

Me: Yeah? You gonna stab me?

Senor stupida: Yeah, I'm gonna get a machete and cut your throat and then I'm gonna plough your mom cos I got a 15 inch dick you motherfucking piece of shit!

Me: IdiotTwelveYearOldBeingStupidsayWhat?

Oh come on, He wouldn't: What? Wait, FUCK! YOU FUCKING PRICK I'M GONNA... No Mom, that was Sis. She's not in? Where is she? I'm not changing the subject!

Me: Think you better apologise to your mom kid.

This is gonna end well: THAT'S FUCKING IT YOU COCKSUCKING LITTLE FUCKING FUCKHEAD! I'M GONNA CUT YOU UP AND FUCK EVERY MOTHERFUCKING HOLE I MAKE WITH MY GOD-FUCKING-DAMN KNIFE AND WHEN I'M DONE I'M GONNA SHOVE MY DICK WHERE YOU FUCKING EYES USED TO FUCKING BE AND THEN I'M GONNA GRAB YOUR BALLS AND... NOT NOW MOM! HE STARTED IT! NOOO! THIS IS MY ROOM! GET OUT! I DON'T WANNA PUT CLOTHES ON! I WANT THE CURTAINS OPEN!

Me: This is going to burned in my memory for a while.

Guess who: FUCK OFF YOU FUCKING RETAR- He left the game.

Then, a minute later I saw this and thought it was appropriate.
...That was awesome...and sad at the same time.
 

Doomsday11

New member
Apr 15, 2010
241
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vallorn said:
crimsonshrouds said:
Not G. Ivingname said:
Andy Chalk said:
A politican that admits he was wrong without some kind of huge scandel but after talking with experts and thinking it over?

O_O

IT IS THE END! WERE ALL GOING TO DIE!
My exact thoughts. O_O

In all seriousness we need more politicians like this guy. A person willing to admit to making a mistake without a scandal is a real honest person or more honest than other politicians.
enter... Boris Johnson...
Awwwwwwwww you got to love old Boris,if he dosen't become prime minister in a couple of years the will be blood.