[LINK] Green light for R18+ games

[rene]

On Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:33:09 +1100, Brendan Scott wrote:

> An RC based filtering system will cause problems for R18+ games sold
> from foreign distributors (since we don't have that classification
> for games here they are RC).  The announcement of a review of R18+
> classifications for games seems more than serendipitous.

Indeed.

> http://brendanscott.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/r18-games-and-internet-
> censorship/

However, I don't agree with your conclusion that:
	"It seems like an R18+ classification for games is already a done deal 
because its absence would cause terrible trouble for the proposed internet 
censorship regime." 

Imo, it is not a done deal because there is no way SA A-G Atkinson is going 
to agree to R18+ for games just because the Cth wants to introduce 
mandatory blocking. 

The second half of your conclusion:
	"Or maybe this is just co-incidence and access to your overseas computer 
game store might be suddenly cut off just before the next election."

is imo much closer to reality. However, imo the announcement of an R18+ 
games consultation paper, at much the same time as more about the govt's 
mandatory blocking plan, is not mere coincidence. 

The government hopes that saying there's a review re R18+ games 
classification underway will result in 'people' assuming that R18+ will be 
implemented, and therefore there will be less opposition to its 'RC' 
blocking plan. (Presumably it believes that gamers comprise a significant 
proportion of those opposed to mandatory filtering, but imo, the opposition 
is much broader than that).

It's unfortunately a very clever con by the government - and it would be 
very unwise to 'trust' the Fed Govt's implications about R18+ games.

For R18+ for games to become reality requires one of two things to happen:
- Atkinson change his mind (extremely unlikely), or cease to be the SA 
Censorship Minister (and someone less censorious be appointed to that 
role); or
- Cth Labor govt to unilaterally over-ride State/Territory Censorship 
Ministers - amend the Classification Act, but not the Classification Code, 
as the Coalition govt did in 2007. However, even in the unlikely event that 
the Labor govt might consider doing that, it is legislatively more 
difficult to over-ride State/Territory Ministers to permit something, as 
distinct from  banning something - because the enforcement legislation of 
the 8 States/Territories does not contain any provisions concerning an R18+ 
rating for games and therefore, they are all, to say the least, likely to 
be very annoyed by further Cth govt interference in what is claimed to be a 
"national co-operative system".   

Irene