ADDITIONAL COMMENTS BY THE AUSTRALIAN GREENS
1.1
The Australian Greens are supportive of the aims of the Classification
(Publications, Films and Computer Games) Amendment (R18+ Computer Games) Bill
2012, on the basis that adults should be able to view content whether or not it
may be suitable for children.
1.2
The issue has been under discussion for many years and has been the
subject of a number of extensive surveys and consultations. The Greens note the
government's haste given the Bill was introduced to the House of
Representatives on 15 February and the Committee was expected to conduct an
inquiry in 11 working days.
1.3
Bringing games into Australia's classification system and aligning all
materials into the one classification system does make sense. Harmonising the
system to clearly label and classify games will assist parental supervision of children
and minors – as long as the interpretation of the various categories is
consistent and appealable.
1.4
The importance of educated and informed parental supervision is only
enhanced in the face of research in the academic and professional community on
the impact of immersive games on children.
1.5
Organisations like the American Psychological Association, the American
Academy of Paediatrics and evidence in academic research cited in submissions
counters the government's September 2010 assertion that there is no conclusive
evidence that video games have a greater impact on minors.
1.6
While the jury is out, we have a responsibility to deliberately and
carefully protect children and a clear classification system can only assist in
this task.
1.7
As the Committee has noted, the actual substance and consequence of this
Bill lie in the guidelines that will determine how content is classified. Some
submitters to the Inquiry indicated that their ability to engage with the Bill
and assess its consequences is limited in the absence of final guidelines, and
the Committee found itself in the same position.
1.8
Once they become public, the Greens will evaluate the guidelines to
ensure that the process offers an opportunity to revaluate and modify the
material currently available in the MA15+ bracket that might be better suited
to the R18+ category. Nearly all submitters, including those representing
gamers, acknowledged that the introduction of the R18+ category should be used
to reclassify material that had been wrongfully amalgamated with material
classified MA15+.
1.9
The WA Children's Commissioner and others made specific suggestions for
the guidelines that are worthy of consideration.
Recommendation 1
1.10
The Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee examine the guidelines
and consult with relevant organisations and experts to ensure they indeed
practically implement the intentions of the Bill.
Senator Scott Ludlam
Australian Greens
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