ABC News has an interesting video report up looking at the state-of-play in Australia with the lack of an R 18+ rating, citing the recent refusal of classification for Aliens vs Predator as yet another spark for gamers' cause.

The video also features comments from Michael Atkinson, the SA Attorney General who has become something of a disliked celebrity in the wake of his unwavering stance on the issue. He says of ired gamers "this is a question of a small number of very zealous gamers trying to impose their will on society, and I think harm society".

There's no doubt these comments will just escalate people's opinions of the AG, but at least the issue is now beginning to attract more mainstream media attention, and, in the case of this report and his remarks, favour the gamer stance.

I really wish ABC would put transcripts up of their video clips, it's hard to listen to them when you can't turn the sound up!

That was quite a good report. It was nice to see them talk to some older gamers who sounded level headed. As always, Michael Atkinson was a douche. Notice how he says "I" a lot. Like it's solely his decision and no one can say otherwise.

A small number of gamers trying to impose their will on society hey, but isn't that exactly the same thing hes doing?

At this point in time any media on the issue is good media. Getting the mainstream "non-gamers" to see that censorship does exist is a great step forward for those of us who want the right to choose what see and play.

Need more games to be denied a rating. Keep up the good work Mr A, you're fuelling your own downfall.

wow, what a f***ing douche
he actually believes that the people who might turn a gun on innocent citizens would really be set off by a game?
it's not that they were already mentally unbalanaced before playing games / watching movies etc

of course not

"this is a question of a single zealous politician trying to impose their will on society, and I think harm society".

LOL "this is a question of a small number of very zealous gamers trying to impose their will on society, and I think harm society".

Well news flash Mr Atkinson we don't give a s*** what you think and your personal opinions, if you actually looked around you would see that gamers, casual or serious alike is a very very large percentage of the populous just have a look how many people have consoles (PS3, 360 or Wii) in their homes...

get with the times m8...cause one day you will have to retire and you legacy wont stick

I cant believe this guys views so narrow minded.

Hmm Atkinson states that 2% of gamers could do something violent...

So if we have one act of violence by a gamer that would mean there are 50 gamers in Australia. Given that there is more than likely 20,000 gamers in Australia this should equate to 400 acts of violence by gamers. Notwithstanding the gun ban we should be seeing something like 10 mass murders with firearms per year in Australia alone.

I know there have been a few mass murders in the US involving guns but I don't think any of them have been caused by computer games.

A small number of gamers trying to impose their will on society hey, but isn't that exactly the same thing hes doing?

QFT. Well said.

Guns don't kill people, people kill people, and certainly not computer games.

last edited by casa at 14:26:49 14/Dec/09

What must be getting his goat is he clearly thinks there are only a small number of people opposed to his stance, yet in the past few months he's been called on the issue over and over again. I wonder if at what point he starts to realise all the press and interest in the subject means he seriously needs to have a closer look at what it's potentially doing to his image, or if he really is that bull-headed he just won't budge, no matter how much support or press it gets...

What really annoys me is that this guy is the

South Australian Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Veterans' Affairs, and Minister for Multicultural Affairs

How the hell does one idiot get so much power? Surely there should be a different minister to each of these things?

I guess the next elections will show how much support he has.
With his solid stance at the moment at win at the elections, even a close one, will probably only be cause for him to bolster his position.

I'm not holding my breath. Even with all the recent press I dont think computer games is something that majority of people think about when in the polling booth. They dont see it for what it is, censorship, they just see it as a 'naughty' game being banned.

I would love to be proven wrong though.

he's an old man hanging onto his fame

if he bend over tomorrow and allows an r18 classification

no one ever hears about him ever again

I suggest that the Bible be refused classification and banned in Australia.

1. It not only contains a mass of violence and discrimination but also encourages it.
2. Encourages the gathering of groups to conduct a variety socialy harming acts - including terroism.
3. Brain washes children and vulnerable people to beleive non evidence based things.

The other option is to create an R classification.

The guy made a good point about how people who want the game will get it anyway. This points out that there is no point in ratings at any level since there is no possibly way of enforcing them. Certainly I don't want to be considered a criminal because I circumvented censorship, but on the other hand I never know what rating the games I purchase from Steam are. So if I can buy an MA rated game online without having to prove I'm over 15 and without even being told that it is MA from the Steam store, what difference will it make if they have an R rating when anyone with any sense will be buying from an online store anyway.

nah I think he actually believes that by trying to ban us from these games, he is doing us "good"

I dunno, I suspect from his attitude that he is more concerned with upholding some preconceived and arguably misplaced set of morals regardless of whether he thinks that would be doing anyone any good or not

Brisbane Times plugging it also

Many gamers blame South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson – a fierce opponent of adult classifications for games – for the delay in changing the laws.

But Mr Atkinson said “other attorneys-general who are opposed to introducing an R18+ classification are content to let me be the lightning rod for the gamers”.

what? why does he even take the position if he feels it's having a negative effect
!@!@ this guy needs a cluepon

Hmm Atkinson states that 2% of gamers could do something violent...

Intersting, so if 2% of the people who own firearms and/or firearm licences could do something violent.................

If 2% of the people who own steak knives in their kitchen could do something violent.................

Better completely outlaw them too.

Notice how I can place this kind of thinking towards anything Mr. Atkinson? That's right, its because you have naught a clue.

is all of this because you can spike a fictitious marines head whilst playing a fictitious Alien Hunter?

no amount of moral outrage is going to change the government's view on this one. gamers don't seem to matter apparently.

Seems the Gamers 4 Croydon guys received a reply from the office of the ACT Attorney General himself:

Dear Mr Doe

Thank you for your email of 21 September 2009. In your email you express your frustration at the absence of an R18+ Classification for Video Games in Australia.

:snip:

The ACT supports the introduction of an R18+ classification. This classification would ensure that games with adult content are sold only to adults and that the purchasers are fully aware of the content of the games. There is evidence that many people are purchasing games from overseas and over the internet, and because the games are not classified, they may have little or no information to enable them to determine whether this is something they truly want to view or use.

Thank you again for your expression of support on this issue.

Yours sincerely

Simon Corbell MLA
Attorney General

I'm fuzzy about how much power the ACT/NT AGs have due to being Territories, not States, but this is still a positive sign in the R18+ direction.

Territories have very little power and could be overridden by the Commonwealth at any time (remember euthanasia laws?), but there's a few other X rated items in Canberra that they have had for a long time.

I think the Federal pollies like it that way.

last edited by infi at 15:10:49 14/Dec/09

Federal pollies get sick of their kids getting arrested.. then change the laws to make the irritant go away

we need more sons/daughters/cousins of Fed MPs getting caught out for buying/reselling illegal games methinks.

sometimes ya gotta hack our broken system to make it work


=(

haah I only just saw this

1 or 2% of gamers could do something violent

what a douchebag

"General principles should not be based on exceptional cases." -- Robert J. Sawyer

1 or 2% of gamers could do something violent

guess what percentage of football players do something violent? how about we ban footy?

what a tosser

"General principles should not be based on exceptional cases." -- Robert J. Sawyer

This rule doesn't apply to Australian politics. Which is far more reactionary than it should ever be. (Especially state politics, which this is.)

I'm tempted to find his home phone number and call him up asking "You're making decisions for us all... what should I wear to work today?"

Actually, that is a really clever bit of civil disobedience. Don't call his home number though, call his office (so it's legal). Or email his office.

Include photos of the t-shirts in question (so he can make an informed decision). Send a separate email for shoes. Do that for a month.

I suggest that the Bible be refused classification and banned in Australia.

1. It not only contains a mass of violence and discrimination but also encourages it.
2. Encourages the gathering of groups to conduct a variety socialy harming acts - including terroism.
3. Brain washes children and vulnerable people to beleive non evidence based things.

The other option is to create an R classification.

I sure hope you're a woman, because I'm in love!

What's funny is how the games industry - worldwide - churns over more profit and is monetarily larger than the ENTIRETY of the film industry (just look at WoW's annual earnings from subscription alone) and yet these sorts of titles still don't have a viable rating.

If they did, imagine the profit via sales taxes?

When there's this much money involved and people can be trusted to make informed decisions, how isn't it win/win?

I suggest that the Bible be refused classification and banned in Australia.

1. It not only contains a mass of violence and discrimination but also encourages it.
2. Encourages the gathering of groups to conduct a variety socialy harming acts - including terroism.
3. Brain washes children and vulnerable people to beleive non evidence based things.

The other option is to create an R classification.

Seriously I would vote you in for pm any day of the week

I'd like to find out the percentage of alcohol fueled violence (and fatalities) and compare that to the 2% of gamers (whats that like 4 people aha) that could do something violent.. on that account shouldn't alcohol also be banned? it's just all so trivial, not to mention hypocritical.

last edited by MatchFixa at 20:39:12 15/Dec/09

I've yet to hear of anyone going on a rampage in australia because of a game. Yet how often do you hear people blaming alcohol for s*** they do?

on that account shouldn't alcohol also be banned?

steady on there mohammed

Sooooooooooooooooooo....

I can't buy violent games as an adult.

BUT

I can own a vast array of rifles, shotguns and handguns.

Something doesn't add up here.

last edited by CHUB at 20:48:03 15/Dec/09

the very fact that this guy is so closed minded should have prevented him from attaining the kind of power he's now got

steady on there mohammed

It's ok spookster, i'm just trying to prove a point. I'm still on your side.

phew!

(you must admit i do make a good point..)

Spooks side is to censor the internet.

yeah but spook (and khelzor) are my qgl heroes so that's ok.