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[Trevelyon]

"THE West Australian Opposition has joined calls for a ban on a violent video game blamed for the murder of a 14-year-old boy in England. Manhunt, which depicts bloody and graphic murder scenes, is already banned in New Zealand but remains on Australian shelves with an MA15+ rating.

State Opposition Leader Colin Barnett said the interactive game, which features gruesome scenes including a beheading and suffocations and blood-filled slayings, rewarded players as young as 15 for increasing levels of violence.Mr Barnett called on video stores to voluntarily withdraw the game, saying the brutal images could desensitise young people to violence.

"When I watched this game, I was absolutely horrified. It's not a video game that I would want any children to be exposed to," he said.

Mr Barnett said a national approach to classifications was preferable, but the Manhunt game highlighted the need for Western Australia to restore its independent censorship powers as a fallback to allow it to respond to community concerns.

Ms Scott said the Australian Family Association and Young Media Australia also wanted the game banned. She said the Opposition supported the introduction of stricter R and X classifications for video games, which currently only apply to films.
A spokesman for federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said game ratings were a matter for the Office of Film and Literature Classification. He said the introduction of stricter ratings for video games needed to be addressed by state attorneys-general and would need uniform support.

National ratings were reviewed about 12 months ago."

http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10454281%5E2761,00.html

It's hard enough already to deal with the overly harsh censorship laws on a national level, but to have state censorship laws reintroduced as a fallback on what the OFLC miss is just too much, well in my state at least. The OFLC ratings system needs a shake up, they definitely need to introduce stricter ratings, preferably an R18+ as we see in the movies.

At the the moment the highest game classification is MA15+ so if the OFLC board deems something unfit for that rating, it simply refuses classification (see ShellShock Nam '67) which means the developers have to modify/censor the game to meet the boards standards.

Basically pollies should be pushing for harder & stricter ratings, instead of looking for a quick "let's just pull everything we don't like off the shelves immediately" approach. So all those angsty teeny boppers who are thinking of murdering half their school with an ice pick don't get their greasy little hands on games that could potentially incite those murderous cravings.

 

[Ill Saint]

Australia is a joke when it comes to censorship and ratings. Fuck Howard and his constant pandering to conservative groups. Ken Park, banned. Bais Moi, banned thanks to idiots who complained after seeing the film. And that's just a partial list.

And what's with no 18+ rating for games? too much effort. "Oh, there would have to be a special 18+ section". "Oh, but then they do not fit within our definition of "games".

Bah. Thank you, John Howard, for dictating to us what we should and should not be viewing, in a "free, Democratic Society".

 

[Trevelyon]

"THE federal Office of Film And Literature Classification has refused to classify controversial game Manhunt, effectively banning it from sale in Australia.

"Any existing stocks of this game held by retailers must be removed from the shelves immediately," the Office said in a statement.

Originally classified MA15+, the game was referred back to the office by Attorney General Philip Ruddock after a complaint by Western Australia Justice Minister Michelle Roberts.
The game to worldwide prominence in July after it sparked outrage in Britain, where the parents of murdered teenager Stefan Pakeerah blamed the game for the what they described as a copycat killing of their son.

In Australia, Manhunt was given the MA15+ rating in October 2003, with consumers advised the title contained "medium level animated violence".

http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,10918834^15306^^nbv^,00.html

 

[Scrow]

censorship shouldn't exist (within reason), only classification and strict rules to enforce those classifications should be used to protect minors from unsuitable content. Adults have the right to choose what content they will buy. if I get bored enough I'm going to write a letter (yes, one on paper) to the OFLC.

 

[buck naked]

Nice work OFLC... Only one year late!

 

[pilonv1]

In Australia, Manhunt was given the MA15+ rating in October 2003, with consumers advised the title contained "medium level animated violence".

What retard originally classed it as "meduim" level violence??

 

[pilonv1]

Nice work OFLC... Only one year late!

Better late than giving adults a right to make their own decisions!

 

[Cutley]

I don't really care what they ban here. if i want it i can always download it. No skin of my nose, only the developers.

 

[Red Dolphin]

Yeah this thing with Manhunt being banned was on the new local news tonght.

SO let me get this straight. The game has been out for a year under the highest rating possible for a game (MA15+ which means it's RESTRICTED to ppl 15 years and over) and they decide only now to ban it because the game MAY or MAY NOT be linked to the murder of a boy in another fucking country? FFS

I do agree that this game is definately NOT suitable for ppl under 18 but because of the stupid classification system, the game can be purchased and played by anyone over 16. And factor in that most shops don't give a rat's arse what the rating of a game is and will sell the game to anyone under 15 anyway, because they are more concerned about their profit margain then the suitability of the game for the person. And I bet the same stupid parents are completely ignoring the classification system anyway and then blaming the fucking game.

A spokesman for federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said game ratings were a matter for the Office of Film and Literature Classification.

WHY THE FUCK haven't they created a classification system for games which is similar to or the same as movies? Why can't their be a rating that restricts the game to people to over the ages of 18? It boggles the mind.

 

[Gazunta]

Not wanting to get into who you should vote for on October 9 here, but R18+ will never happen under a Howard government. Ever, ever, ever. Just saying. They reviewed their decision a few months back and still rejected it. Until there's a change in government it'll never happen.

And even if Howard is thrown out of office, it's still going to be a hard sell for any politician. Who wants to be seen to be promoting violent video games?

 

[Red Dolphin]

Oh guess what.

Leisure Suit Larry is banned now and refused classification too.

http://www.gamepro.com.au/index.php/id;175645992;fp;2;fpid;1

FFS...

Not that I would have bought the game anyway as it's crap but they are banning this? OMG..