Korolev said:
But surely you can order it, right? Hell, I live in Australia - I don't think the government can stop anyone from playing it or from buying it overseas. It might cost a (tiny)bit more to order it, but I think it should be region free, right? So there shouldn't be any problems. Just get it from Amazon.
Yep, we can order it fine from overseas. In fact, it works out much cheaper to order games from the US, than it does to buy it from inside Australia. You can't order PS3 games via Amazon. I think Sony have asked them to block international shipping. It doesn't stop other game stores, or buying from EBay though.
Korolev said:
This is one of the times where the US is actually better than Australia - in the US, even if something is refused classification, it will not be banned from sale. That's because classifications in the US are voluntary. Here in Australia, the Government thinks it should morally police us. Australian governments have been doing this for quite some time.
That's interesting. I never realised that about classifications in the US.
As for Australia, ratings are determined by the State Attorney-Generals, or by the Federal Government. All the State Attorney-Generals would actually like an R-rating for games, except for the one in South Australia. His name is Michael Atkinson. Unfortunately, there has to be a unanimous decision by all AGs, to alter the rating system. So Michael is the only one blocking the introduction.
It's an unfortunate system, that one person can block what the majority decide is needed. He is doing it, of course, to "protect the children". He just doesn't seem to realise that the best way to protect children, is to allow the parents to do so. Some people are just too set in their ways, to see the error of them.