Home Gaming Australia moves to ban mature video games again

Australia moves to ban mature video games again

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Ah Australia, that dear island country that is populated with all manner of disgusting creatures ready to to kill you at a moment’s notice. And the wildlife isn’t too safe either. It was only recently that the great childminders in the government finally decided that more mature members of society may in fact be allowed to play these evil video games that are developed for adults. It’s been just over a year since the government relaxed the laws around video games but by the sounds of it the entire country has gone to hell in a handbag since then as there is now new legislation being put forward in Western Australia. That’s where nearly all the South Africans who jumped ship live. According to the Australia kotaku the new legislation proposes

“To prohibit the sale, supply, demonstration, possession or advertisement of a R18+ computer game in Western Australia”

What gets me about this is that if you live in WA and in the past few months you purchased a naughty game like Watch Dogs then the government may soon make you a criminal by passing this law. But to be fair to the nanny state they are offering an alternative instead of an outright ban,

“Alternatively, the Act could be amended to make it an offence to sell or supply a R18+ computer game to a minor even if the person selling or supplying the computer game is a parent or guardian of the minor”

I’m all for not selling age-restricted games to minors and that should rightly be illegal n my mind. But I have a serious problem with a government that thinks it can tell me what I can and cannot do with my own children when it comes to media and entertainment options. If I believe my 16 year old can handle Mortal Kombat and can tell the difference between a video game character dying and killing real people then I should be allowed to make that choice. If the above law is passed and you live in WA and buy your teenager Mortal Kombat you could theoretically go to jail and have a criminal record. All of this is in the name of protecting the children from sexualisation in media. I think the Australian government should stop meddling in video games and rather concentrate on seeing how many more boat migrants they can kill and deny all knowledge off. That’s more their thing isn’t it?

Last Updated: June 30, 2014

88 Comments

  1. Kromas

    June 30, 2014 at 07:51

    coountry? 😛

    Also for a country born from a penal colony they sure are uptight.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Cyber Commando

      June 30, 2014 at 08:04

      Hahahahahahahahahaha, uptight criminals you say?

      Reply

      • Kromas

        June 30, 2014 at 09:40

        So they are definitely not the smooth criminals old Micheal was singing about. 😛

        Reply

    • Eric

      June 30, 2014 at 09:38

      their vs there too in the last sentence

      Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    June 30, 2014 at 08:03

    Good. Keep these filthy things out of the sight of the sweet innocent children. I don’t even want to imagine how much they could warp their fragile little minds. That’s what sexualised advertising is for after all, and nothing is allowed to compete with that.

    Reply

  3. Hammersteyn

    June 30, 2014 at 08:05

    16 year old kids can handle games like MK. What turns my piss even more bitter is kids under ten playing 18+ games. Then again I’m ready to buy a parent a beer if he discipline his child or uses one of those leash things. Maybe I just don’t want to play with kids 0_O

    Reply

    • Skyblue

      June 30, 2014 at 09:01

      This one is up for debate. Some kids are more mature than others and you also have to assess your child’s ability to comprehend what he’s playing. Violence is in every form of entertainment at all age levels these days so I concern myself more with the nudity, sex and language content when deciding what my kids can play.

      My 15yr old has heard far worse playing DOTA and BF4 than anything any videogame has scripted.

      Reply

      • Kromas

        June 30, 2014 at 09:12

        I am sorry. I will learn to turn off my mic. 😛

        Reply

        • Skyblue

          June 30, 2014 at 09:19

          Chances are you’re swearing coz he’s owned you. His clan won the DGL Summer Leg for BF4 ;-p

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            June 30, 2014 at 09:20

            Impressive

          • Kromas

            June 30, 2014 at 09:37

            Could very well be. I am a methodical killer so I prefer DayZ cause In a fast paced shooter I tend to forget that it is not perma death. 😛

      • Hammersteyn

        June 30, 2014 at 09:21

        Kids in high school yes, they mature faster. But nit kids still in Primary school.

        Reply

        • Skyblue

          June 30, 2014 at 09:25

          You would be surprised. My 10yr old is growing up around his older brother and his friends. His maturity level is very different from many of his own friends who don’t have older siblings. I am not condoning young kids being exposed to 18+ games but I do use my discretion with my kids. just my opinion.

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            June 30, 2014 at 09:38

            I agree with you because it seems you are very involved with your child, not like parents who let’s TV,movies and video games act as surrogate parents.

    • Kromas

      June 30, 2014 at 09:07

      Then stop playing Call of Duty! 😛

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        June 30, 2014 at 09:20

        Hahahaha

        Reply

  4. Jotoole

    June 30, 2014 at 08:09

    I’m sure that information coming from South Africa on how to create a civil law-abiding population will make lawmakers in Australia sit bolt upright. They will be keen to learn from South Africa which laws really do or do not affect violence and crime. Given Australia has 254 murders per 10 000 people in a year and SA has 16 259 per 10 000 they will no doubt want to know what laws we think they should be implementing. Maybe SA would be fighting off migrant boats and taking in skilled immigrants from Australia if WE were creating a utopia over here! But then you really really want to play your R18+ games.

    “That’s more there thing isn’t it?”

    They must laugh when they see the spelling of our “Authors” as well.

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      June 30, 2014 at 08:12

      Well I know I’m laughing at your maths.

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        June 30, 2014 at 08:18

        16 259 per 10 000? Thank heavens our illegal migrants don’t use boats

        Reply

      • Kensei Seraph

        June 30, 2014 at 08:19

        Well it seems South Africa will soon become a barren wasteland populated solely by zombies.

        Reply

        • Brian Murphy

          June 30, 2014 at 08:23

          Well, if you keep considering condoms more evil than HIV, you won’t get to the zombie point.

          Reply

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            June 30, 2014 at 08:30

            Too soon. It’ll always be too soon when you have a president who thinks HIV can be prevented with a shower & a health minister who goes to a world health conference on AIDs with a garlic & potato cure.

          • Hammersteyn

            June 30, 2014 at 08:32

            and beets, beets are good for you.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            June 30, 2014 at 08:34

            Yes, I forgot about the beets.

          • Brian Murphy

            June 30, 2014 at 08:46

            Well, eventually it’ll be too late. So, at some point decisions are going to have to be made among the suffering populace, regardless of who sits in office.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            June 30, 2014 at 08:53

            Education, education & education – & for every bit of education there is countering misinformation.

            I knew a woman who was completing her psych phd. Her thesis revolved around why people weren’t taking their TB medication. No.1 reason was because sangomas told them that the medication was white man’s poisons.

          • Mossel

            June 30, 2014 at 09:20

            O_O

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          June 30, 2014 at 08:24

          I’m sure the mining industry is looking into using zombies as miners as we speak.

          Reply

      • Dutch Matrix

        June 30, 2014 at 09:04

        Don’t laugh. Untill you and @hammersteyn:disqus pointed out the silliness in his math, I was thinking: “That sounds about right. This is South Africa after all…”

        Reply

    • Kensei Seraph

      June 30, 2014 at 08:17

      I’d be very curious on your stats for the number of deaths due to deadly animals in Australia.

      Reply

      • Kensei Seraph

        June 30, 2014 at 08:20

        Compared to those in South Africa of course.

        Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      June 30, 2014 at 08:19

      solid, if pointless, defence… give up your freedom for a fake idea of what utopia is.

      I’ve lived there, didn’t like it. There is no utopia

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        June 30, 2014 at 08:23

        It’s not a solid defense, it’s a pointless diversion. It’s like a murderer telling a mass murderer not to call them a murderer because they’ve killed more people than them. Still a murderer no matter who tells them they’re one.

        Reply

    • HvR - Still dislikes Random.or

      June 30, 2014 at 08:21

      USSR and Nazi Germany also had very low murder rates.

      Reply

      • Liquid Kaz (Umar)

        June 30, 2014 at 08:24

        That’s a pretty radical comparison…

        Reply

      • Brian Murphy

        June 30, 2014 at 08:25

        I think Jews, Gypsies and blacks might disagree with you there.

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          June 30, 2014 at 08:25

          You forgot homos

          Reply

        • Gavin Mannion

          June 30, 2014 at 08:26

          they weren’t classified as people.

          Same as boat people for Australia

          Reply

          • Brian Murphy

            June 30, 2014 at 08:26

            Yeah, their classification of what a person is, means absolutely nothing to me. Nor should it you. His statement is false.

          • HvR - Still dislikes Random.or

            June 30, 2014 at 08:37

            Was a bit quick on the post on that, didn’t put in the 2nd part of the argument.

            Yes extreme comparison, but official crime numbers were low and a “normal citizen” could walk around everywhere without fear of criminals. The only thing they feared was being branded criminals by their own governments.

            If this law is passed and go I to Australia I will be branded a criminal for doing any of my three main hobbies; which perfectly legal in almost any other country in the world. Except maybe Britain.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            June 30, 2014 at 08:27

            What do they call them? Floaters?

          • Hammersteyn

            June 30, 2014 at 08:32

            Damn son!

          • Brenz

            June 30, 2014 at 08:50

            They’re all referred to as Bob.

    • Hammersteyn

      June 30, 2014 at 08:24

      I’d rather live where the odds of being murdered are higher,but beer is cheaper and where I can light a fire big enough for a braai that the neighbors may be tempted to phone the fire brigade instead of having a silly BBQ. But hey whatever floats your boat or doesn’t float… you know if the Aussie Navy doesn’t mistake you for an illegal immigrant first

      Reply

    • Praise Lord GabeN

      June 30, 2014 at 08:24

      This isn’t South Africa commenting on Australian laws. It’s one individuals opinion. Relax.

      Reply

    • HvR - Still dislikes Random.or

      June 30, 2014 at 08:39

      And our quoting and use of stats. Those figure are totals for the whole country not per 10 000.

      Reply

    • Kromas

      June 30, 2014 at 09:09

      Definitive proof that South Africa is indeed the worst listed country when it comes to math.

      Reply

    • oVg Panzaboye

      June 30, 2014 at 09:35

      Australia is run by boring old baby boomers who have their old age heads stuck so far up their butts. One day the electronic generation will be in charge a few decades from now.

      At least Obama has a copy of the Witcher (MATURE TITLE) thanks to the president of Poland.

      South Africa is run by undereducated freedom fighters who still manage to uphold the best constitution in the world. Besides the rampant corruption we are still treated like adults who are able to decide for ourselves when it comes to what we want to watch and hear.

      Just dont paint a picture of the presidents penis 😛

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        June 30, 2014 at 09:42

        I would but paint doesn’t have a brush tool small enough.

        Reply

        • Kromas

          June 30, 2014 at 11:01

          Ah but soon we will have this!

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            June 30, 2014 at 11:09

            XD

    • Jotoole

      June 30, 2014 at 10:14

      good point those that noticed it should be per 100 000. Not per 10 000.

      For those that want to debate the stats: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate

      The point stands that the author is getting upset about Australian laws when Australia are doing a better job at creating and maintaining a society with low violence/murder rates. It would be like the Scottish public wanting to give SA rugby tips!

      Reply

      • Gavin Mannion

        June 30, 2014 at 10:44

        there is more to life than murder and violence stats…

        If Australia is so law abiding why do they have such an extremely high car theft rate?

        http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-top-ten/countries-with-most-car-theft-rates.html

        People are far too quick to give up their civil liberties for tiny wins

        Reply

        • Skyblue

          June 30, 2014 at 14:13

          I was chatting to a mate over the weekend about this. His brother emigrated to Australia several years ago and works in law enforcement as he did in SA. He claims there is just as much law breaking there as there is here but that there is less violent crime in comparison to SA.

          Reply

        • Jotoole

          July 1, 2014 at 03:38

          Gavin, Let it not be said that I’m trying to advertise Australia. I only want to reply to your point. I know you have never been to Australia. There is no way in a million years that anyone who has been there would say there are more car thefts in Australia than SA. Your map shows only first world countries. In Australia a car theft would make the news and hijackings are just about unheard of. Cars are not alarmed for the most part and in some places are left running while people shop so the aircon cools the car.There seems to be a feeling in SA that people need to justify why they are still in the country. Giving up civil liberties to go to Australia? Are you talking about R18+ games? Not sure what you are referring to because there is no shortage of civil liberties in Australia. If anything a “tiny win” it would be the right to play violent and sexually explicit games. The ability to walk around the block at night without a second thought about security is a massive win.

          Reply

      • Rags

        June 30, 2014 at 13:32

        Lol wrong again. It’s 31/100 000.

        Reply

    • Xx_-Gaben_of_Gamen-_xX

      June 30, 2014 at 14:39

      But Australia sucks

      Reply

  5. Craig Deubler

    June 30, 2014 at 08:19

    If they want a real boogeyman they should be looking at sexism in games not violence, it’s far more pervasive, insidious and commonplace and is far more difficult to educate kids about than violence.

    Reply

    • Kensei Seraph

      June 30, 2014 at 08:24

      Yeah, but that only leads to discrimination and (in rare extreme cases) woman and child abuse, all of which are a lot easier to hide from the rest of the world than murder.

      *Disclaimer* I don’t condone discrimination or abuse on others or oneself.

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        June 30, 2014 at 08:26

        Speaking of abusing oneself, how are you enjoying Dark Souls? 😉

        Reply

        • Kensei Seraph

          June 30, 2014 at 08:31

          The game is freaking amazing!

          I was incredibly proud of myself for figuring out how to kill the Taurus demon solo. Still died though.

          Only problem I have is I didn’t buy a bow or arrows from the merchant and I killed him.

          Reply

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            June 30, 2014 at 08:36

            lol. Yes, only kill 99% of things on sight 😉

          • Kensei Seraph

            June 30, 2014 at 08:40

            I thought I had bought everything I needed so I killed him for a katana, but then I learnt that to get a really nice sword I had to cut a dragon’s tail off.
            The bow makes attacking the tail much easier.

  6. Alien Emperor Trevor

    June 30, 2014 at 08:38

    In keeping with the header image theme… does this mean they have a Sub-Zero tolerance for R18+ games? tee hee.

    Reply

    • Kromas

      June 30, 2014 at 09:10

      And if they suspect you they might have a police Raiden on your place. 😛

      Reply

  7. HvR - Still dislikes Random.or

    June 30, 2014 at 08:43

    Amount of nanny state regulations being passed in Britian and Australia I’m sure the following will reality.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      June 30, 2014 at 08:49

      Hahahahaha awesome episode

      Reply

  8. Norm

    June 30, 2014 at 08:49

    Header just needs the word ‘mate’ at the end. 🙂

    Reply

    • Sk3tz0

      June 30, 2014 at 09:12

      as in: Oi Get over here mate and have a fosters

      Reply

  9. oVg Panzaboye

    June 30, 2014 at 08:53

    Do they not realise that their heritage is going to be remade as an adult videogame? MAD MAX.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      June 30, 2014 at 09:18

      Hahahaha Someones playing Wolfenstein!

      Reply

    • Matthew Holliday

      June 30, 2014 at 09:50

      it already is, Watch Dogs is secretly about Australian gamers fighting back against a government that doesnt appreciate them.

      Reply

  10. Sk3tz0

    June 30, 2014 at 09:15

    I still love this little gem of a Campaign they tried last year..

    Reply

    • Kromas

      June 30, 2014 at 09:39

      Valid poster is valid. Candy Crush is a game. 😛

      As long as they did not show a little girl on a beast of a pc buying steam summer sale games all is well.

      Reply

      • Sk3tz0

        June 30, 2014 at 10:39

        I wanna know why she wearing shades if she is playing a online poker game.. It is cuz her future so bright as a pro gambler/gamer.. ??

        Reply

        • Kromas

          June 30, 2014 at 10:56

          Actually it has to do with keeping a P P P P P P P P Poker Face.

          Damn great now that song is stuck in my head.

          Reply

    • Matthew Holliday

      June 30, 2014 at 09:48

      Joseph Goebbels level propoganda.

      Reply

  11. Sk3tz0

    June 30, 2014 at 09:38

    I bet you they blame Video Games for the way Mark ” Chopper” Read turned out.. why they wanna ban all violent mature content in gaming.

    Reply

  12. Consumer of Little Rabbits

    June 30, 2014 at 09:46

    Why the hell do they let their government tell them what they can and cant consume. They have extremely harsh rules following smoking, drinking, drugs and the like. Why anyone would live in a country thats nigh on totalitarian is beyond me. Let alone move there from ZA. IMO, our ZA counterparts moet maar sit en sukkel. Kry vir jou.

    *Slaps in future copy of MKX and uppercuts a kangaroo through the face*

    Reply

  13. Sageville

    June 30, 2014 at 09:59

    Nanny state, shamepies… whatever, I can play all the games… so the Auzzie gov doesn’t trust it’s own citizens… doesn’t effect me or my gaming.

    For all the Country vs Country debaters… every place has it’s own issues, just depends on what you are comfortable living with. It’s pointless comparing countries.

    Reply

  14. Wyzak

    June 30, 2014 at 10:56

    Woah, hate Australia much Gavin? That’s all I got from this article.

    Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      June 30, 2014 at 10:58

      I have an ongoing love hate relationship with Australia…

      I love to hate them 😉

      Reply

      • Sk3tz0

        June 30, 2014 at 11:23

        Australians… If they Ancestors weren’t Convicts they’d be british.. 😛

        Reply

  15. Darren Peach

    June 30, 2014 at 12:32

    Given the fact that the Leader of Australia is a chop, I would say it is a political move to align their current government with the popular consensus amongst conservatives that video games are “Murder Simulators”. A point that the Republicans and right wingers whom religiously Watch Fox News In the US of A which happens to be owned by Ruport Murdoch who is a Aussie… I am not surprised. In actual fact, I would say it is part of a Conservative agenda. It would seem that Conservative politics knows no borders.

    Reply

  16. alcatraz5953

    June 30, 2014 at 13:09

    Australia is just being childish

    Reply

  17. Max

    July 2, 2014 at 00:56

    Australians are nice. Australia is total bullshit

    Reply

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