THE issue of an adult classification for video games appears to have been put on ice after a campaign by gamers in support of an R18+ rating.
The Federal Government last December asked for public input on whether or not Australia should introduce an R18+ rating for games.
The public consultation received almost 60,000 submissions after campaigns by game retailers and R18+ supporters to sway the results.
Now that move seems to have backfired, with gaming website GameSpot AU reporting the issue has been put on ice pending further investigation.
Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor told GameSpot more information on the issue was needed because the consultation process had been dominated by "interest groups".
"Consultations, by their nature, attract submissions from people who are passionate about the issue," Mr O'Connor said.
"Ministers would like to consider other legitimate views from as wide a cross section of the community as possible."
The highest rating for games in Australia at the moment is MA15+. Titles that exceed that rating must be refused classification and banned from sale.
WTF?! We had too strong a response from gamers and those in the industry (ie the only people who care) so we're going to have to put it on hold?
The question is, are the government diverting to another issue, stalling for time until after the election or are they really this incompetent?
I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.
-Winston Churchhill
I think a part of my sanity has been lost throughout this whole experience. And some of my foreskin - My cheating work colleague at it again
This government is incompetent, for a variety of reasons not just related to the OP article. Given that the dude who was the sole spanner in the works has effectively stepped down (SA A-G who despite winning his up-until-now safe Labor seat had a massive swing against him) I see no reason not to go through with introducing an R18+ rating.
It is not a priority now given there are other things the government is more concerned about.
This "problem" isn't new... after the handgun buy back fiasco 8 years ago the government asked for public input and when that input came from every single firearms sporting/hunting/collecting organisation completely overwhelming the coalition for gun control they screamed about how it was all too one sided (because it was one group for, many groups against and everyone else didn't care)
Asking for public comment and expecting to get non-biased submissions is sheer stupidity.
All people are equal but some people are more equal than others.
