As Attorney-General for Tasmania, David Bartlett was one of the most passionate supporters of an R18+ for video games, sadly he has just announced that he is resigning from his position.
“[F] or the past two to three weeks … I have had to question whether or not I still have the passion and commitment that is required,” claimed Bartlett.
For supporters of R18+ this comes at a time when we are unsure of the allegiances of a few key Attorneys-General. It’s a shame that one of our key supporters has left just a few months away from the SCAG meeting in July.
Bartlett had been one of the first Attorney-Generals to publically support an R18+ rating for video games in Australia.
“The introduction of an R18+ classification would help give parents a clear idea of which computer games are suitable for their children,” he claimed, in a statement released just a few months ago.
“It’s about giving parents clear information, a clearer choice, and more confidence in the games they buy for their children.
“An R18+ category currently applies to other forms of entertainment, like films and some magazines. It’s appropriate to use the same clear and consistent restrictions for computer games.
“For me, the real issue is not whether we should have an R18+ classification – which is obvious. The issue is how to construct those guidelines.
“We need to ensure the guidelines are properly worded, so appropriate games can be played by adults, while still excluding those games which depict high-level sex and violence.
“The debate should now be about getting those guidelines or criteria right,” he said.
Hopefully his replacement will be of a similar mindset, and be aware of the issues in time for the SCAG meeting in July. Considering Bartlett’s outspoken support, we’re confident that this won’t derail any possible movement forward.
Thanks to RaygunBrown for the tip.
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