Michael Atkinson opposing R18+ video games

Once again, the R18+ in video games in Australia is back under question. Unfortunately, one South Australian Attorney-General seems to think that only kids play video games and opposes the proposal. Australia is the only developed democracy based country without an ‘Adults Only’ or R18+ restriction for video games, which is rather sad in my opinion. Michael Atkinson looks like a well educated guy, so you’d assume he’d look at all the possibilities. It’s easy to see the angle he is looking at the issue from, but I and many other Australians believe it is the wrong one.

I present to you my arguments and/or ways of looking at the issue:

For:

As it is, some video games such as the Grand Theft Auto series (being a main example) are only just on the edge of being restricted. I remember GTA: San Andreas had to be pulled off the shelves for excessive swearing and sexual references, this could stop that happening. Most recently Solider of Fortune: Payback is a good example of this.

It will increase the population of more older gamers.

Lift the reputation of games from being ‘For Kids’.

More people will see games as a hobby, I know a lot of my friends have to cope with their parents not accepting gaming as a hobby.

Decrease illegal importing/downloading as these games that were restricted will be easily available to adults.

Against:

The games may fall into the hands of children, parents can be easily convinced that their child is old or mature enough for a R18+ game and their child is only 12. I’ve heard stories/had to play with 9 year old kids on Gears of War which is a MA15+ game that complain when someone swears (that’s why its ma15+)

Well, that’s the only thing I can see wrong with this proposal. I personally would like to show Mr Atkinson my opinions and I may email them too him soon.

Speech in Parliament Stating Why He Opposed The Classification (getting cut off during the speech)

 Quote:
 The Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia has repeatedly put to attorneys-general that there ought to be an R18+ classification for computer games. 

 Unlike films, for which there are R18+ and X18+ classifications, the highest classification for computer games that depict, express or otherwise deal with sex, violence or coarse language in such a manner as to be unsuitable for viewing or playing by persons under 15 are classified as MA15+. 

Computer games that exceed the criteria needed for an MA15+ classification must be refused classification and cannot be sold, hired, demonstrated or advertised in Australia. Nevertheless, thousands of games are available to computer game buyers and only a few are completely banned under this system 

I have consistently opposed an R18+ classification for computer games. I am concerned about the harm of high-impact (particularly violent) computer games to children. Games may pose a far greater problem than other media – particularly films – because their interactive nature could exacerbate their impact. The risk of interactivity on players of computer games with highly violent content is increased aggressive behaviour. 

I do not want children to be able to get their hands on R18+ games easily. I understand that the lack of an R18+ classification denies some adults the chance to play some games, however, the need to keep potentially harmful material away from children is far more important 

Proponents for the classification say the latest technology allows gaming platforms and computers to be programmed to allow parental locks. Today’s children are far more technologically savvy than their parents. It’s laughable to suggest that they couldn’t find ways around parental locks if R18+ games were in the home. 

I have mentioned that, despite there being thousands of computer games available to consumers, only a handful are banned. I want to give some examples of games refused classification in Australia because I’m certain that fair-minded people would not want the kind of content in them to be available to children. 

Blitz: The League was banned in January 2007. It’s an American Football game in which players prepare teams and play through a season. It was banned because in the course of the game, the player may use illegal performance-enhancing drugs for the members of his or her team. The player can also use fake urine samples to avoid positive drug tests 

Reservoir Dogs was banned in June 2006. This game is based on the Reservoir Dogs movie and players are participants in a bank robbery. They can blow the heads off hostages and police as well as execute hostages at point blank range with a gunshot to the head. They can also torture hostages by pistol whipping the side of the head, burn the eyes of a hostage with a cigar until they scream and die, or cut the fingers off hostages. There are blood bursts as the victims scream in pain. 

50 Cent: Bulletproof was banned in November 2005. The game’s central character is the rap star, 50 Cent, and he seeks revenge for the killing of his former cellmate. It was banned because the killing in the game was prolonged and took place in close up and slow motion. It included a lot of on-screen blood splatter when the killing was done with knives. Just to show that the current system does work, a censored version of the game was released later with an MA15+ classification. 

Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure was banned in February 2006. In this game, players make names for themselves using graffiti. They join gangs and compete with rival gangs and the police force. This game was banned because it promotes breaking the law by vandalising public buildings with graffiti. Worse, the central character acquires his knowledge of graffiti tips, techniques and styles from real graffiti vandals who pass on those details. It actually instructs players on how to become graffiti vandals 

Narc was banned in April 2005. In this game, players try to defeat an underground drug trafficking and terrorist organisation. Nevertheless, the game contains frequent drug use. Players can choose to take illegal drugs including heroin, speed, LSD, marijuana and ecstasy and those drugs provide the player with benefits in progressing through the game. For example, when a player takes an ecstasy tablet 

 At this point Mr Atkinson was interrupted and returned to his seat. The following is the rest of his speech as provided by his office 

 ... opponents will stop attacking and allow the player's character to escape. Similarly, taking speed allows the player's character to run faster and catch opponents. 

 I contest any idea that it is necessary for games to include material of this kind and that a game is more interesting to an adult because it contains extreme violence, explicit sexual material, instruction in crime or characters using illicit drugs. I remain firmly opposed to changing the classifications of computer games to allow an R-rating for games with such content 

This is a carefully considered position I have held for six years and other attorneys-general around Australia may now be coming to the same view. There are not adequate safeguards that can properly protect our children from those disturbing scenes and I know how computer-literate they are. Like other parents in Australia, I want to try to protect children from being able to access computer-generated pornography and violence. 

 I have not been persuaded by arguments for an R18+ classification for computer games and I will continue to oppose it.

Thanks to PALGN for the transcript.

Ok, so.. for the people still awake or reading I will sum up.

He basically believes that kids will learn to act like ‘50 Cent’ or join a gang if they play these games.

I’d like to see him playing a game like that, maybe put him on the panel that gives games classifications for a week. Maybe the week Gears of War 2 comes out, hell, why not! I’d love to see him squirm as the chainsaw viciously cuts through the locust. Maybe someone should give it to him as a present. Sorry, I was carrying on, but I really am annoyed!

Hopefully we share the same view, if not why not? Tell me why you don’t want to see this imposed. All comments accepted!