Gamers make an impact – finally
Australian State Attorney General reverses thoughts.
Allows public debate on game ratings to go ahead.
by dkpatriach
©2008 David Hilton:
Wow…did we gamers make a difference? All those gamers who took the time to write to Attorney-General of South Australia, Michael Atkinson, may have helped to force a back down.
He had previously all but destroyed any chance of there being a discussion on the issue of an R18+ rating for video games in Australia just weeks ago when he decided to stand alone and use his power of veto. According to Australian law, Australia’s content classification system can only be amended if unanimously accepted from all state and territory attorney-generals, and he was not going to allow any discussion.
Will we see this finally on games - We hope so.
This despite the fact that a whopping 91% of a recent Bond study’s respondents (both gamers and non-gamers) were in support of an R18+ rating for games.
The fact that a discussion paper on the subject can now go public can only mean that Mr. Atkinson has had a change of heart, at least so far as the rights of the public to debate the issue go. By the end of this year we now should be able to have our say on the subject, through an internet site.
The change was decided after a meeting in Brisbane of the Standing Committee of Attorneys-Generals where Victorian Attorney-General Rob Hulls lobbied other ministers to motion the discussion paper.
So what does this mean for the chances of an R18+ game rating in Australia? Sure, it is a step in the right direction with the public now having the opportunity to support a new ratings system more in tune with the rest of the modern democracies and other media in Australia like movies (an opportunity which hopefully gamers take when the time comes).
However, ultimately this is only a discussion and there is no guarantee that our submissions will convince law-makers to change the system. Will the push for R18+ ratings for games be shot down anyway and some adult games continue to be banned or mis-labelled in the future?
In other words, is this just the usual bureaucratic way of looking like you are doing something for the public but ending up a waste of time with a pre-determined outcome? Has Mr. Atkinson really had a change of heart, or is he bowing to pressure now so he at least looks like he is listening to the people?
In any case, we welcome Mr. Atkinson’s decision to allow the discussion paper to go forward and we as gamers have no better chance to change things, so we can only do what we can when the time comes.
©2008 David Hilton:
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Filed under: Console gaming, Editorial, Industry News, Parental Gaming, Software News & Updates, Xbox 360, Xbox 360 News Tagged: | Attorney-General of South Australia, games ratings in australia, Michael Atkinson, R18+ games rating, R18+ ratings for games, Rob Hulls
