Former QLD Premier Peter Beattie has an opinion piece up on The Australian telling of his trip to this year’s E3, in which he expresses mild embarrassment for Australia after repeatedly being asked why we’re the only Western country without the rating.
In the piece he also claims that most of the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General have agreed on the rating, with the exception of South Australia.
[imgclear]
Introducing an R18+ classification for video games in Australia is a no-brainer.
It is the only way we will regulate the ever-changing computer and video games industry.
And how is Australia going to catch up to the rest of the world on this issue?
Well, the attorneys-general from each state need to agree. Until now most have agreed, except the attorney-general in South Australia.
Beattie singles out Atkinson as the force that has been standing in the way of progress. This might seem like common knowledge to some, but it contradicts Atkinson’s prior claims that the SCAG were simply happy to let him be the /”lighting rod for the gamers.”
It also begs the question of why, despite being asked numerous times, as well as overwhelming numbers from mainstream polls and the government’s own submission paper being pro-R18+, Attorneys-General have been so tight-lipped about the matter. When poll numbers are so clearly one-sided, what’s stopping our politicians from displaying any view at all? And full respect to him for saying so now, but if the new classification is a “no-brainer” as Beattie says, then why are we only hearing from him now? Why not between the years of 1998-2007, when he was premier?
Beattie points out that many eyes will now be on South Australian Premier Mike Rann and his new Attorney-General John Rau. He makes quite a few good points, of which there’s a good chance you’ve seen before, but this will bring them more exposure. Follow the link at the bottom for his full piece.
The argument from those opposed to an R18+ rating is that not having this classification will keep the nasty videos out of the country. How naive.
Leave a Reply