As expected the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General has not yet made a decision on the introduction of an R18+ classification for computer games. They have instead released a report containing preliminary figures and information about the public consultation that closed at the end of February. The report is available on the Attorney-General’s Department website.

The report shows that 98.2% of the submissions were in favour of the R18+ rating for games but Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor said that ministers had to also consider “the strength of the arguments on each side.”

Yes or No

‘Grow up Australia’ is mentioned often in the report and a pie chart indicates the number of submissions that were received via our website compared to other means. You can also see the clear success of EB Games in store petition.

Submission Method

The government has also released some of the submissions made by organisations including those made by the iGEA, ACL, EFA and ACCM.

Crimecraft joins Necrovision, Sexy Poker, Risen and Left 4 Dead 2 to become the 5th game refused classification in Australia this year. Crimecraft is a massively multiplayer online game set in an alternate reality where civilisation has collapsed and gangs rule the streets.

Crimecraft is rated Mature in the USA.

The ESRB’s Rating Summary:

This is a third-person shooter in which players can select a character and gain experience points through completion of various missions/quests. Players can roam around the fictional setting of Sunrise City and engage in several types of massively multiplayer online (MMO) games: team deathmatch, capture the flag, robbery, and free-for-all. Players are able to shoot and kill other characters by using a wide variety of guns (handguns, shotguns, machine guns, rocket launchers) and thrown weapons (grenades, Molotov cocktails, etc.). Small splashes of red blood indicate successful hits, and bloodstains are depicted on the ground under some defeated characters. Achievements and mission titles sometimes contain profanity (e.g., achievement called “F**king Ridiculous”; missions called “I Ain’t Movin’ B*tch,” and “Poppin’ a Cap in Yo A*s”). Players can customize female avatars so that they only wear a bra and thong-style panties or outfits that expose deep cleavage; players can also trigger a brief dance in which an avatar caresses her body.

The Most Extreme Material

Grow up Australia has been monitoring the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General website for the release of the Censorship Ministers’ Decisions. We’re interested in any update on the much anticipated R18+ Discussion Paper that was expected to be released July this year.

Once released a process of “public consultation” will take place.  In a recent interview with Gamespot The Hon. Brendan O’Connor was quoted as saying:

The content of the discussion paper and the timing of its release are under consideration by the Australian Government.

We would recommend people wanting to see the eventual introduction of an R18+ rating for video games write a polite letter to The Hon. Brendan O’Connor to enquire about the discussion paper.

Brendan O’Connor 
Minister for Home Affairs
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Phone: (02) 6277 7290
Fax: (02) 6277 7098
Email: Brendan.O’Connor.MP@aph.gov.au