Over at the JustOneMoreGame blog, Gabe McGrath has an interview with Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett. A child of the Atari 2600, Bartlett recounts his gaming experiences and isn’t afraid to say he plugs in a bit of Band Hero on the Wii now & then. He’s also a strong supporter of the NBN, and drops a minor hint on the R18+ issue.
Bartlett spoke fondly about his early days with technology and gaming…
In our parents’ days, to feel ‘nostalgic’ about something… it had to be really old. These days… I dragged out my old iPod the other day, the first clickwheel model, and thought ‘what a quaint bit of technology’ – but it’s only five years old!
I’m a bit of a Band Hero fan. After the kids have gone to bed; that’s what I get into. On the guitar, something off ‘Guitar Hero: Van Halen.’ On the drums, [my favourite song]would have to be ‘Eye of the Tiger’. I’m on ‘advanced’ level on that song, and going very well!
But as well as remembering his own childhood gaming years, Bartlett has plans for Tasmanian growth in that sector:
I think the right-size place for Tasmania, and we’ve got some good skills here, is to concentrate on the mobile end of applications development. That’s in entertainment, gaming…
Now, even gaming’s most cherished & revered politician, Michael Atkinson, was happy to play Wii Sports on camera. And Bartlett wasn’t questioned on his views on more violent games. But judging from the interview, he seems to have an understanding of tech & gaming that’s lacking in the decision-making Baby Boomer generation.
He signals the start of a slow, but certain eventuality: the replacement of those at the top by those more in touch with modern concepts. In this case, those who aren’t afraid of our relatively new medium, and aren’t afraid to call themselves a gamer in public.
Here’s hoping he can influence change where possible. The full interview is at JustOneMoreGame.
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