Australian Classification Board
Encyclopedia
The Australian Classification Board is a statutory
classification body formed by the Australian Government
which classifies film
s, video games and publication
s for exhibition, sale or hire in Australia
since its establishment in 1970. The Australian Classification Board was originally incorporated in the Office of Film and Literature Classification which was dissolved in 2006. The Attorney-General's Department
now provides administrative support to the Board. Decisions made by the Board may be reviewed by the Australian Classification Review Board
.
The Classification Board does not directly censor material by ordering cuts or changes. However, they are able to effectively censor media by refusing classification and making the media illegal for hire, exhibition and importation to Australia.
In 1993, the ACB introduced the MA15+ rating to fill in the gap between the M rating and the R18+ rating, due to complaints about films such as The Silence of the Lambs being too strong for the M rating (not recommended for younger audiences though any age is still allowed in) though not too high in impact to be rated R18+ (no one under 18 years of age).
The introduction of the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) occurred in 1994. The OFLC overlooked the Australian Classification Board. In 2005 the OFLC was dissolved and the Australian Classification Board was handed over to the Attorney-General's Department
.
On 22 July 2011, a meeting of attorneys-generals produced an in-principle agreement to introduce the R18+ classification for videogames, however, NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith abstained from the vote. The Home Affairs Minister, Brendan O'Connor, has said the federal government would over-ride NSW and implement the R18+ rating regardless of its decision and will be officially available before the end of 2011. On 10 August the NSW attorney-general agreed on the R18+ thus the rating would be accepted and available to all states before the end of 2011 and Brenden O'connor would not need to use the federal government to intervene.
On 30 October 2011, the Classification Board applications manager David Emery stated that the R18+ Classification is "still at least two years away."
, who was the South Australian Attorney-General until 2010, was a continuous opponent against introduction of the R18+ classification, and actively blocked the release of a discussion paper until just before his retirement, that canvassed the opinion of the Australian public on whether or not an R18+ classification should be introduced. In July 2011, the R18+ rating has been announced and is scheduled to be introduced before the end of the year.
Despite the various controversies that have arisen with the classification of videogames within Australia, there are many examples of games getting much more lenient ratings compared to other countries. Such games would include Halo 3
which got an M (15 from BBFC, M17+ from ESRB, New Zealand's OFLC a R16), The Witcher which got an MA15+ (18 from PEGI, BBFC, and USK), Dead Rising
and its sequel
getting a MA15+ (18 from BBFC, PEGI and CERO), Dead or Alive Xtreme 2
getting a PG (17+ from ESRB and CERO), Zone of the Enders
(and its sequel
) getting a G8+/PG (R16 from New Zealand's OFLC, M17+ from ESRB, 15 from BBFC), Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened
getting a PG (M17+ from ESRB, 16+ from PEGI), Neo Contra
getting a G8+/PG (M17+ from ESRB, 15 from CERO) and Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel with a PG rating (M17+ from ESRB, 15 from CERO).
Classification is mandatory, and films that are rated Refused Classification by the ACB are banned for sale, hire or public exhibition, carrying a maximum fine of $275,000 and/or 10 years jail. It is, however, legal to possess RC films (except in Western Australia and parts of the Northern Territory), unless they contain illegal content (e.g. child pornography).
Unrestricted
Unrestricted Mature- Not recommended for readers under 15.
Restricted Category 1 Not available to persons under 18 years.
Restricted Category 2 Pornographic
in nature; restricted as above.
Literature only needs to be classified if it contains anything that might lead to a Category 1 classification or higher. Any classified literature that does NOT fall into any of the above categories is rated Refused Classification (Banned). It is uncommon for these ratings to appear on books.
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
classification body formed by the Australian Government
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
which classifies film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s, video games and publication
Publication
To publish is to make content available to the public. While specific use of the term may vary among countries, it is usually applied to text, images, or other audio-visual content on any medium, including paper or electronic publishing forms such as websites, e-books, Compact Discs and MP3s...
s for exhibition, sale or hire in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
since its establishment in 1970. The Australian Classification Board was originally incorporated in the Office of Film and Literature Classification which was dissolved in 2006. The Attorney-General's Department
Attorney-General's Department (Australia)
The Attorney-General's Department is an Australian Government Department. Its role is to serve the people of Australia by providing essential expert support to the Government in the maintenance and improvement of Australia's system of law and justice...
now provides administrative support to the Board. Decisions made by the Board may be reviewed by the Australian Classification Review Board
Australian Classification Review Board
The Australian Classification Review Board is a statutory censorship and classification body overseen by the Australian Government which can review classification decisions made by the Australian Classification Board concerning films, video games and publications for exhibition, sale or hire in...
.
Organizations
The Classification Board is a statutory body established by the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 (Cth). This Act also provides a basis for the National Classification Code which guides their decision making. As the State and Territory governments retain responsibility for enforcing censorship and could withdraw from or ignore the national classification scheme if they so wished, any changes to the national classification scheme must be agreed to by all the State and Territory Censorship Ministers (usually Attorneys-General). Despite this South Australia still maintains a separate Classification Council which can override national classification decisions in that state.The Classification Board does not directly censor material by ordering cuts or changes. However, they are able to effectively censor media by refusing classification and making the media illegal for hire, exhibition and importation to Australia.
History
1970 saw the introduction of a newly formed classification system and body named the Australian Classification Board, a federal body that was been created to rate all films (and later in 1994, video games) that come into Australia. In the early years of the system, there were four ratings: G, for "General Exhibition"; NRC, "Not Recommended for Children"; M, for "Mature Audiences"; and R, for "Restricted Exhibition". NRC later became PG and R became R18+, the G and M ratings were kept.In 1993, the ACB introduced the MA15+ rating to fill in the gap between the M rating and the R18+ rating, due to complaints about films such as The Silence of the Lambs being too strong for the M rating (not recommended for younger audiences though any age is still allowed in) though not too high in impact to be rated R18+ (no one under 18 years of age).
The introduction of the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) occurred in 1994. The OFLC overlooked the Australian Classification Board. In 2005 the OFLC was dissolved and the Australian Classification Board was handed over to the Attorney-General's Department
Attorney-General's Department
An Attorney-General's Department is a government department in certain countries.*Attorney-General's Department *Attorney-General's Department...
.
On 22 July 2011, a meeting of attorneys-generals produced an in-principle agreement to introduce the R18+ classification for videogames, however, NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith abstained from the vote. The Home Affairs Minister, Brendan O'Connor, has said the federal government would over-ride NSW and implement the R18+ rating regardless of its decision and will be officially available before the end of 2011. On 10 August the NSW attorney-general agreed on the R18+ thus the rating would be accepted and available to all states before the end of 2011 and Brenden O'connor would not need to use the federal government to intervene.
On 30 October 2011, the Classification Board applications manager David Emery stated that the R18+ Classification is "still at least two years away."
Controversy
Certain officials were concerned the appointment of Donald McDonald as Director in 2007 facilitated the Government's ability to control or restrict material, in particular that which incites or instructs terrorism. McDonald was also pressured to step down after the ban of Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom lifted.Classification of film
In 2010, the ACB classified an uncut version of Salo R18+, mainly due to extra material providing greater context. It had been banned since 1997 with two failed attempts since then.Classification of video games
Despite a line in the National Classification Code stating that "adults should be able to read, hear and see what they want", the adult R18+ classification does not currently exist for video games. Michael AtkinsonMichael Atkinson
Michael John Atkinson , an Australian politician, was the South Australian Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Veterans' Affairs, and Minister for Multicultural Affairs in the Rann Labor Government. A day after the 2010 election, he stepped down as Attorney-General and resigned...
, who was the South Australian Attorney-General until 2010, was a continuous opponent against introduction of the R18+ classification, and actively blocked the release of a discussion paper until just before his retirement, that canvassed the opinion of the Australian public on whether or not an R18+ classification should be introduced. In July 2011, the R18+ rating has been announced and is scheduled to be introduced before the end of the year.
Despite the various controversies that have arisen with the classification of videogames within Australia, there are many examples of games getting much more lenient ratings compared to other countries. Such games would include Halo 3
Halo 3
Halo 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie for the Xbox 360 console. The third installment in the Halo franchise, the game concludes the story arc begun in Halo: Combat Evolved and continued in Halo 2...
which got an M (15 from BBFC, M17+ from ESRB, New Zealand's OFLC a R16), The Witcher which got an MA15+ (18 from PEGI, BBFC, and USK), Dead Rising
Dead Rising
is an action-adventure, survivor horror video game, developed by Capcom and produced by Keiji Inafune. It was released on August 8, 2006 exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game console. The game was a commercial success. It has been introduced into the Xbox 360 "Platinum Hits" lineup, and a cell...
and its sequel
Dead Rising 2
is an action-adventure horror-comedy video game, developed by Capcom in partnership with Blue Castle Games, and was distributed by Capcom. It was released on September 24, 2010 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and September 28, 2010 for Microsoft Windows. The Dead Rising staff returned to create...
getting a MA15+ (18 from BBFC, PEGI and CERO), Dead or Alive Xtreme 2
Dead or Alive Xtreme 2
Dead or Alive: Xtreme 2 is a 2006 video game for the Xbox 360 game console. Developed by Team Ninja, it is the sequel to Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball...
getting a PG (17+ from ESRB and CERO), Zone of the Enders
Zone of the Enders
The soundtrack to Zone of the Enders was released April 25, 2001 on the album Zone of the Enders Z.O.E Original Soundtrack by Konami Music Entertainment. Almost all the music was composed by the trio , and . Also, composed "Global 2 " and , "City ". The theme song "KISS ME SUNLIGHTS" was composed...
(and its sequel
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, known in Japan as , is a video game that was developed and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2003. The sequel to Zone of the Enders, the game was produced by, and is closely associated with Hideo Kojima. The game is based around mecha combat...
) getting a G8+/PG (R16 from New Zealand's OFLC, M17+ from ESRB, 15 from BBFC), Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened
Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened
Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is an adventure game developed by Frogwares and published in 2006 for Microsoft Windows. The game follows an original plotline as Sherlock Holmes and his companion Dr. John H...
getting a PG (M17+ from ESRB, 16+ from PEGI), Neo Contra
Neo Contra
is the tenth video game in the Contra series by Konami. It was developed by Team Neo Kijirushi, a group of staff members within Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, and released for the PlayStation 2 in 2004...
getting a G8+/PG (M17+ from ESRB, 15 from CERO) and Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel with a PG rating (M17+ from ESRB, 15 from CERO).
Advisory
The classifications below are advisory in nature—they do not impose any legal restrictions on access or distribution of material.: - E (Exempt from Classification) - Only very specific types of material (including educational material and straight records of artistic performances) can be exempted from classification, and the material cannot contain anything that might lead to an M rating or higher. http://www.classification.gov.au/www/cob/classification.nsf/Page/Industry_WhathastobeClassified_IsitexemptfromClassification_IsitexemptfromClassification The assessment of exemption may be made by the distributor or exhibitor (self-assessed) without needing to submit the product for certifying by the Classification Board. Self-assessed exempt films cannot use the official marking, although it is advised that films and computer games that are self-assessed as exempt display “This film/computer game is exempt from classification”. This means that the selected material cannot be rated.
- G (General) – Contains material intended for general viewing. However, G does not necessarily designate a children’s film or game as many of these productions contain content that would be of no interest to most children.
- The content is very mild in impact.
- PG (Parental guidance recommended) – Contains material that young children may find confusing or upsetting, and may require parental supervision.
- The content is mild in impact.
- M (Recommended for mature audiences) – Contains material that may require a mature perspective but is not deemed too strong for younger viewers.
- The content is moderate in impact.
Restricted
By contrast, the classifications below are legally restricted—i.e., it is illegal to sell or exhibit materials so classified to a person younger than the respective age limit. - MA15+ (Mature Accompanied for those under 15) - Contains material that is considered unsuitable for exhibition by persons under the age of 15. Persons under said age may only legally purchase, rent, exhibit or view MA15+ rated content under the supervision of an adult guardian. The exhibition of these films to people under the age of 15 years who are not supervised by a parent or legal guardian is a criminal offence.
- The content is strong in impact
- R18+ (Restricted to 18 and over) - Contains material that is considered unsuitable for exhibition by persons under the age of 18. People under said age may not buy, rent, exhibit or view these films. The exhibition of these films to people under the age of 18 years is a criminal offence.
- The content is high in impact.
- X18+ (Restricted to 18 and over) - Contains material that is pornographic in nature. People under 18 may not buy, rent, exhibit or view these films. The exhibition of these films to people under the age of 18 years is a criminal offence.
- The film contains sexually explicit content.
- This rating applies to graphic/unsimulated sexual content only. Films classified as X18+ (Restricted) are banned from being sold or rented in all Australian states and are only legally available in the Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital TerritoryThe Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
and the Northern TerritoryNorthern TerritoryThe Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
. Importing X18+ material from these territories to any of the Australian states is legal, though.
- RC (Refused Classification)(Banned) - Contains material that offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that it should not be classified
- The content is very high in impact.
- Films which are very high in impact and/or contain any type of violence in conjunction with real sexual intercourse are Refused Classification by the ACB. Films which may be Refused Classification include content that:
- Depict, express or otherwise deals with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty and violence in a revolting or abhorrent nature
- Depict in a way that is likely to cause offence to a reasonable adult a minor who is, or who appears to be, under 18 (whether or not engaged in sexual activity).
- Promote, incite or instruct in matters of crime or violence.
Classification is mandatory, and films that are rated Refused Classification by the ACB are banned for sale, hire or public exhibition, carrying a maximum fine of $275,000 and/or 10 years jail. It is, however, legal to possess RC films (except in Western Australia and parts of the Northern Territory), unless they contain illegal content (e.g. child pornography).
Previous video game ratings
These ratings are still shown on some older video games that are still on sale in Australia:| G General : The G classification is for a general audience. | |
 |
G8+ General for children over 8 years of age: Material classified G8+ may contain material which some children find confusing or upsetting, and may require the guidance of parents or guardians. It is not recommended for viewing by people under 8 without guidance from parents or guardians. This rating has since been changed to PG to parallel that of film ratings. |
 |
M15+ Mature: Despite the title, material classified M15+ is not recommended for people under 15 years of age. Nonetheless, there are still no legal restrictions thus any age is allowed to access these titles. This rating has since been changed to M to parallel film ratings. |
 |
MA15+ Mature Accompanied (Restricted): Material classified MA15+ is considered unsuitable for people under 15 years of age. It is a legally restricted category. People under the age of 15 are not allowed to purchase or hire unless accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. |
Members
The current permanent members of the Classification Board:- Donald McDonald (Director)
- Jeremy Fenton (Senior Classifier)
- Georgina Dridan
- Greg Scott
- Amanda Apel
- Zahid Gamieldien
- Moya Glasson
- Sheridan Traise
Literature ratings
Unrestricted Unrestricted Mature- Not recommended for readers under 15. Restricted Category 1 Not available to persons under 18 years. Restricted Category 2 PornographicPornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
in nature; restricted as above.
Literature only needs to be classified if it contains anything that might lead to a Category 1 classification or higher. Any classified literature that does NOT fall into any of the above categories is rated Refused Classification (Banned). It is uncommon for these ratings to appear on books.
Reviews
In 2008, the board made a decision on whether or not nude photos displayed in an exhibition of work by Bill Henson should have been removed or not. The review found the photograph was "mild and justified".See also
- Censorship in AustraliaCensorship in AustraliaAustralia is a federation, and responsibility for censorship is divided between the states and the federal government. Censorship of video games and Internet sites hosted in Australia are considered to be the strictest in the western world....
- Advertising Standards Bureau (Australia)Advertising Standards Bureau (Australia)The Advertising Standards Bureau is an Australian organisation that investigates breaches of advertising standards in the Australian media...
- Banned films - includes an extensive list of films banned in Australia
- Banned video games
- Video game controversyVideo game controversyViolent video game debates often center on topics such as video game graphic violence, sex and sexism, violent and gory scenes, partial or full nudity, portrayal of criminal behavior, racism, and other provocative and objectionable material. Video games have been studied for links to addiction and...
- includes the history of games censorship in Australia - Internet censorship in AustraliaInternet censorship in AustraliaInternet censorship in Australia currently consists of a regulatory regime under which the Australian Communications and Media Authority has the power to enforce content restrictions on Internet content hosted within Australia, and maintain a "black-list" of overseas websites which is then...
- List of pornography laws by regionPornography by regionThe production and distribution of pornographic movies are economic activities of some importance. The exact size of the economy of pornography and the influence that it plays in political circles are matters of controversy...
- Australian hardcore pornography laws - Australian Classification Review BoardAustralian Classification Review BoardThe Australian Classification Review Board is a statutory censorship and classification body overseen by the Australian Government which can review classification decisions made by the Australian Classification Board concerning films, video games and publications for exhibition, sale or hire in...
- Reviews appeals made by publishers/government officials if they are unhappy with a rating given by the ACB
International rating systems
- EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
- Pan European Game InformationPan European Game InformationPan European Game Information is a European video game content rating system established to help European parents make informed decisions on buying computer games with logos on games boxes. It was developed by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe and came into use in April 2003; it... - FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
- Valtion elokuvatarkastamo - GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
- Unterhaltungssoftware SelbstkontrolleUnterhaltungssoftware SelbstkontrolleUnterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle is the organization responsible for computer game ratings in Germany.- Ratings :... - JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
- Computer Entertainment Rating OrganizationComputer Entertainment Rating OrganizationThe is a Japanese entertainment rating organization based in Tokyo. rating video game content in console games with levels of rating that informs the customer of the nature of the product and for what age group it is suitable... - New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
- Office of Film and Literature ClassificationOffice of Film and Literature Classification (New Zealand)The Office of Film and Literature Classification is the government agency in New Zealand that is responsible for classification of all films, videos, publications, and some video games in New Zealand... - North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
- Entertainment Software Rating BoardEntertainment Software Rating BoardThe Entertainment Software Rating Board is a self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings, enforces industry-adopted advertising guidelines, and ensures responsible online privacy principles for computer and video games as well as entertainment software in Canada, Mexico and...
and Motion Picture Association of AmericaMotion Picture Association of AmericaThe Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America , was founded in 1922 and is designed to advance the business interests of its members... - United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
- British Board of Film ClassificationBritish Board of Film ClassificationThe British Board of Film Classification , originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom...
External links
- The R18+ Discussion Paper Submissions due 28 February 2010.
- The Australian Government Classification Website Includes info about classification system, Board member profiles and a public searchable database of classification decisions
- Inside Film Magazine's Phillip Cenere reports on the ACB International Ratings Conference
- Refused-Classification.com Database of films, games, and books that have had problems with the ACB
- Libertus Australia Website maintained by Irene Graham, the executive director of EFA.
- The Chopping List Database of films that have had censorship problems in Australia