If you’d like to have a chance to sit on the review panel that helps ensure games like We Happy Few can still be released in Australia, good news! The Classification Review Panel (may) have a seat just for you.
Applications for the 10-member panel, which is a separate body that oversees challenges to any of the Classification Board’s ratings, opened late last week. The Review Board exists as an appellate process that re-reviews the Classification Board’s decisions, either at the direction of the relevant state or federal ministers, or when publishers wish to challenge the Board’s original decision.
The job listing, which you can find on the Department of the Communications and the Arts website, is a part-time position “most likely for a two-year term”. Members are paid $926 a day “on occasions when a review is required”, although as the department notes, that’s not often:
2018 – convened on one day to deal with one application
2017 – convened on three days to deal with three applications
2016 – convened on four days to deal with four applications
2015 – convened on two days to deal with two applications
2014 – convened on one day to deal with one application
The Commonwealth will pick up the tab if you have to travel for a review, so there is that.
Anyone interested in becoming a member of the Review Panel will need to file a statement outlining suitability against the following criteria:
• the ability to interpret relevant legislation and guidelines, or a demonstrated capacity to develop such an ability, in applying the standards generally accepted by reasonable adults in the public interest ( this does not mean that formal legal qualifications are an essential criteria);
• demonstrated involvement in the community and the ability to reflect broad community standards;
• the ability to apply reason, common sense and sensitivity when assessing a wide variety of material, including material across the full spectrum of classifiable material;
• demonstrated ability to work as part of a diverse team.
The full information pack can be found here. Applications close at 1700 AEST on September 7, so if you’re interested, get cracking.
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