[The Loyal]

Aussie R18+ public consultation goes ahead - News at GameSpot

"The Australian public will soon be asked to voice its opinion on whether the country should have an R18+ classification for video games, with a meeting of the nation's Attorneys-General agreeing yesterday on the release of a discussion paper before the end of 2008."

Is their hope yet? Fingers crossed!

[Wally]

I wish they'd just do it already..

Wally

[samuelowens]

Hoo-freaking-ray!

About time. That bloody SA Attorney-General who keeps holding this up should be sacked...

[half goon half god]

Even if the public's in favour, Atkinson will still block any changes. With everything he's said on the subject, I don't see him changing his stance against the R18 rating.

[Alucard]

Originally Posted by half goon half god

Even if the public's in favour, Atkinson will still block any changes. With everything he's said on the subject, I don't see him changing his stance against the R18 rating.

and hopefully people realised that democracy isn't actually occurring in this case. One person shouldn't be able to decide against a majority. I don't remember voting for him....

[Joe91]

Before we worry about that clown in South Australia, we have to worry about whether or not the Australian public will pass it in the first place.

[themacuser]

There's always that other method that will *always* happen if even if everyone can buy it...

[Geoff3DMN]

Whilst it's great news that this public consultation is to finally go ahead it's far from certain that it will result in the introduction of an R classification for video games.

The fundies will come out in force to try and stop this so it's a good idea to actually 'voice our opinion' now that we've got that chance.

[The Loyal]

Originally Posted by Joe91

Before we worry about that clown in South Australia, we have to worry about whether or not the Australian public will pass it in the first place.

I don't think it would be a problem. If retailers adopted the R18+ system responsibly when it comes to violent or unsuitable media. There would be no more delays/bans in games because content has been deemed unsuitable.

Parents would also be for it if it ment that it would be harder for their younger children to get unsuitable games.

[wabbit]

About time.

[conufsed]

Originally Posted by The Loyal

Parents would also be for it if it ment that it would be harder for their younger children to get unsuitable games.

I'm a fairly small gamer so this doesn't effect me directly, but I do know plenty of adult gamers, so why not let something produced for them properly rather than watering it down just enough to get past censorship.

Wearing my parent hat, R18 is the right answer for my kids!

[Bastard Sheep]

Even though the average age for gamers in this country is now 30 and majority of gamers are 18+, gamers themselves are still a minority compared to clueless moms and pops which is why Atkinson allowed this to happen. If he spreads enough fear and misinformation then all the moms and pops, conservative fundies, and people who this doesn't affect in the slightest will vote against it giving him another excuse to continue on his merry way of blocking it.

[The Loyal]

Hopefully now with the amount of money that is now behind the gaming industry it's time for a change. As mentioned above the average gamer in Australia was found to be 30 years old. I'm pretty sure that rough figure in itself shows that games are no longer just for kids and haven't been for a long, long time.

[Phase]

Won't someone think of the children!

Oh. You are?

Carry on.

[coljac]

Electronic Frontiers Australia is making a submission, if you'd like to chime in check out R18+ for games. It's definitely time we got this issue sorted out.

[SyncMan]

Originally Posted by The Loyal

"The Australian public will soon be asked to voice its opinion!

On this we get asked, yet on Internet Censorship we are being forced to accept it???

[cosmichobo]

I'm glad to see this at least is happening, for all ya gamers out there that have been quite vocal on the issue over the past few months.

I'd like to think if the overwhelming voice of the people was YES we want 18+ classification for games, that the "SA clown" would concede the point - or be forced to do so.

It's time though, I still say, to get out there and really get vocal about this. Get a group together and get in the media. YES, the "fundies" (fundamentalist bloody christians and other over-protective do-gooders) will be out in force to protect their god fearing children, so you need to get out there and extol the virtues of the 18+ classification.

[The Loyal]

Originally Posted by SyncMan

On this we get asked, yet on Internet Censorship we are being forced to accept it???

Yep, it's pretty week isn't int??

Hopefully if all that internet censorship goes ahead, if people are just as vocal about that, then changes can be suggested?

[Beau]

One more reason for me to get a fake ID, no?

Hopefully they do end up passing this.

[denwol]

Originally Posted by Beau

One more reason for me to get a fake ID, no?

Hopefully they do end up passing this.

and that is one reason why they shouldn't pass it