Mike Bantick
Tuesday, 28 October 2008 16:45
Opinion and Analysis
Page 2 of 3
Yesterday the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia
commissioned study into the media entertainment habits of Australians was released.
In part it showed how the average age of a video gamer has now reached 30 years old, just six years shy of the actual average age of an Australian, which it will reach in 2014.
It also showed that 91 percent of Australians believe that the introduction of a –currently absent – R18+ classification for interactive entertainment would be beneficially to the community.
We have discussed it before and in a nutshell, a R18+ introduction would bring video games in line with cinema classification, making choices clearer and easier to understand for parents, in effect ‘protecting the kiddies’. 83 percent of parent’s state that they check a games classification at purchase time for children suitability.
Being the only developed nation on the planet without a R18+ classification means games are either banned as ‘unclassifiable’ or shoehorned – possibly inappropriately – into the MA 15+ rating at the top of the video game classification system.
This is a ludicrous situation – actually not lost on our politicians. An excerpt from the Hansard report from the Senate Standing committee follows:
SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS Monday, 20 October 2008
BARNETT-Can I just clarify that. There is no classification of video games at the moment?
Ms Booyar-There is. Video games are classified using the film guidelines. The classifications range from G to MA15+.
Senator BARNETT-Yes, but there is no R classification of video games currently. Is that correct?
Ms Booyar-Yes.
Senator BARNETT-And that is the law.
Ms Booyar-Yes.
Senator BARNETT-This is the big question, and I guess it is for the department and/or the minister. Is consideration being given to the classification of video games, as in R classification for video games?
Ms Lynch-The possibility of the introduction of a classification of R for video games is a matter being discussed currently at the censorship ministers' SCAG meeting, and it will be discussed at the next meeting in November.
Senator BARNETT-Was it discussed at the July SCAG meeting?
Ms Lynch-I will pass that to Ms Davies, who was there.
Ms Davies-Censorship ministers meet in conjunction with SCAG but they generally meet only at the first and last meetings of the year, so there was no censorship ministers meeting in July. At the March meeting, censorship ministers agreed in principle to conduct a consultation on whether there should be an R18+ classification for games and to release a discussion paper on that once ministers had agreed to that discussion paper.
The conversation goes on, with it being made clear that at this point that the discussion paper is yet to be released. The inaction is put down to the non-response to the draft from the West Australian care-taker minister and the opposition of Sen Michael Atkinson from South Australia.
Discussion continues on page 3
