Former Aussie Classification Board Member Speaks in Support of R18+

Paul J Hunt, former Deputy Director of the Classification Board and  senior executive with the Office of Film and Literature Classification, has issued a seventeen page response to the Australian Government’s discussion paper concerning the potential for an R18+ classification.

This letter from Hunt, who describes himself as both a parent and child of gamers, comes after a report that 46,ooo Australians signed a petition to support the R18+ movement. He states that not having the ability to classify games for adults was detrimental to his ability to effectively do his job.

When I made a decision, or participated in a decision, that a computer game was unsuitable for minors, I was forced to refuse classification for that game. It was not because I thought that the game depicted, expressed or otherwise dealt with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that it would offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults. It was simply because the game was not OK for kids.

Not being able to restrict computer games to adults was an impediment to my ability to reflect Australian community standards.

 

He also includes a chart, comparing many games classification ratings, which shows how many games restricted to adults and/or older teens in other countries were put in the hands of younger teens in Australia with a few, minor edits, which, in my opinion, shows that the lack of an adult classification in Australia is only effective in giving more children access to adult content, rather than fewer.

 

Hunt also goes on to speak against the idea that the lack of R18 in games is a result of a desire to protect children:

Some parents are irresponsible with the management of their children’s behaviour. If the reason for excluding an R18+ classification for games is to limit the access of the children of incompetent or irresponsible parents, then we should ban R18+ films, restricted publications, alcohol, cigarettes, etc. from our society.

 

He also speaks directly to South Australian Attorney General Michael Atkinson, specifically his claims that nobody cares about the R18+ issue, except for gamers.

Of even greater concern is the fact that Mr. Atkinson does not understand that most Australians are gamers, and therefore the majority of the population is familiar with game content.

All responses, including those from gamers, are responses from the Australian community. Whilst Mr. Atkinson may wish to marginalise gamers, and put down the knowledge of all Australians, I trust the Government will accept all submissions at face value as representative of the Australian community’s feelings on this issue.

 

 

He then goes on to use Atkinson’s words against him, by using a quote by Atkinson when internet censorship laws were enacted and subsequently repealed:

There is a need to follow South Australian Attorney General Michael Atkinson’s advice on a recent similar issue regarding the rights and freedoms of Australians – an attempt to restrict political comment on the internet: “When one gets public opinion wrong, as I did, one has to change one’s mind.

 

I think it’s clear the Atkinson, who is the only, outright, opponent of the R18 movement, has gotten public opinion wrong. Simply put, it’s time for him to change his mind.