As expected, today’s SCAG meeting has failed to deliver an R18+ rating for games. But there may be light at the end of the tunnel…
It’s a cold and miserable day in Sydney today, and as news broke that, once again, the decision on the introduction of an R18+ rating for video games has been postponed, it just seemed even bleaker.
The Standing Committee of Attorneys-General met this morning and we had been hoping that, finally, there might be some resolution to this ongoing saga.
Unfortunately, it became clear earlier this week that things may not go as we would have liked them to. As expected, the holdout today was NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith, who abstained from the vote. And so, despite Brendan O’Connor, Federal Minister for Home Affairs pushing hard for this issue to be sorted today, and the fact that all other state, territory and federal Attorneys-Generals voted in principle to support the introduction of an R18+ rating, it looks like adult gamers are going to be left hanging yet again.
Hopefully not for long though.
Earlier this week, reports indicated that Smith wanted to wait for results of the Australian Law Reform Commission classification review – due in early 2012 - before making a decision, but it’s now looking like he’s looking to resolve the matter much sooner.
Also, in a press conference after the meeting, Brendan O’Connor was still speaking very positively about the possibility of the introduction of an R18+ classification – taking about today as ‘an important step forward’ and referring to an ‘historic agreement’ being struck, despite Smith’s abstention.
He also mentioned the possibility of non-standardised ratings across the state – as is the case with the X-rating for other media – which could potentially leave us with a situation where R18+ games are legal everywhere but NSW.
Abstaining NSW Attorney General Greg Smith has also – somewhat – clarified his position, highlighting that the NSW Government is only new and this is the main reason that he and his cabinet may need more time. We did, however, have to question his mentioning the ‘need to protect children and women’ from the violence in video games (emphasis ours).
All-up, it’s hard to see where all this leaves us. We don’t have an R18+ rating, as yet. We have a bunch of people talking as though it’s pretty much a done deal, but without any concrete movement. It is looking increasingly like an R18+ rating will happen – in some form, and maybe only in some states – but for now, we’re still waiting, and so forgive us if we’re cautious about getting too optimistic.
Issue: 137 | June, 2012