The Standing Committee of attorneys-general (SCAG) conference is  today considering a proposal to update the classification system for games in Australia to include an R18+ rating.  The meeting will be the first time the issue has been discussed by them since November 2005.

Unlike films, magazines and other publications, there is currently no adult classification for games in Australia, so any titles that do not meet the MA15+ standard – such as those with excessive violence or sexual content – are simply banned from sale by the Classification Board.

I’ve been following this for a while and there have been plenty of advocates for providing an R18+ classification for computer games in Australia and of course those who would like to preserve the status quo.

Media Students who have to look at “debates about nature and extent of media influence as well as the  arguments for and against regulation of the media”  this year could do worse than survey all the positions, arguments and evidence which have been run by both sides of this current debate…

Crucially, any decision on R18+ rating for games must be unanimous and one State attorney-general has consistently said he will not support the rating -  South Australian Attorney-General, Michael Atkinson….

http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,23329959-5014239,00.html

http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/r18-for-games-not-a-chance/2008/03/07/1204780028413.html

Others have also argued against it:

Notably, Chris Bantick ..

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/01/14/1073877896185.html

Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney Julian Porteous …

http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=5847

The Australian Family Association,

http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/violence-and-sex-may-get-thumbs-up/2008/02/22/1203467345267.html?page=2

On the other side of the debate, the most vocal proponents of change have been the Australian Gaming Industry groups, such as  the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia (IEAA);

They have been joined by what can only be described as a concerted campaign by The Age’s Games Section Editor, Jason Hill …

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/01/22/1074732535783.html

http://blogs.theage.com.au/screenplay/archives//008793.html

Gamers and Games Forum Editors have also entered the fray …

http://www.atomicmpc.com.au/article.asp?CIID=104596

http://www.kotaku.com.au/games/2008/03/why_michael_atkinsons_opposal_of_r18_does_bugger_all_to_protect_kids_promotes_crime.html

as well as Media Students, Lecturers and Bloggers…

http://www.crikey.com.au/Politics/20080228-The-R18-treatment.html

http://www.tamaleaver.net/2008/03/08/r18-category-for-video-games-in-australia-the-saga-continues/

http://andrewrox424.wordpress.com/2008/03/07/michael-atkinson-opposing-r18-video-games/

Finally this week, freelance writer and radio creative Gabriel McGrath presented a very interesting offer to South Australia’s attorney-general, to try and sway him to finally support an R18+ rating for games in Australia. His letter was published in both Crikey and Jason Hill’s Screenplay …

http://blogs.theage.com.au/screenplay/archives/009041.html
Britain (which already has an 18-certificate) is in the midst of a review of their classification legislation on gaming too, with a call for cigarette-style health warnings for games …

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/27/ncomputer127.xml

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10500479

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3628894.ece

Perhaps we could give the last word to Melbourne-based professional games designer Thuyen Nguyen, creator of a popular “love letter to video games” last year, has just released a new machinima exploring these issues…

“Same As It Ever Was” – is a short machinima film in defense of video games. Two news anchors try to deliver a special report on the biggest threat to society today. Unfortunately, they have some communication issues, because the “threat” that one anchor describes sounds a lot like some other “threats” from days past.

Nguyen explains that “the use of machinima, the artificial characters and the robotic voices were all specifically used to emphasize the message that today’s anti-game arguments are simply mindless repetitions of arguments that were used against previous societal scapegoats, like music and movies. Thus, with no original arguments, game critics are simply fear mongering. Be sure to read the film’s news ticker, where I highlight some things society should really be worried about.”

“Same As It Ever Was” ….

“Love letter to video games” …

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