Australian Video Games Classification

The Office of Film & Literature Classification is a department of the Australian Federal Government. It's role is to give classifications to Television Programs, Movies and Computer & Video Games.

It's treatment of rating Video Games in their department is that of a 2nd class citizen, they rate games, sometimes very unfairly without even playing them and sometimes without even watching gameplay.

A recent survey conducted buy the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia (IEAA) announced that 79\% of households in Australia own a video game console. It's treatment towards the industry is an injustice and could further prevent the industry being as important industry as Television, Music and Movies in Australia

This petition is to force the Australian Government into action to give better treatment to the Video Game industry the following ways

1) Improve the fairness amongst the OLFC, this would require:

a) Require the OFLC to play video games before they have a right to rate them

b) Make the requirements for M and MA ratings the same as in other forms of media. Some have been very unfair such as Leausire Suit Larry: Manga Cum Laude being Refused Classification for animated sexual content that would in movies only require an M rating

c) Allow an R18+ classification and enforce those classifications better (i.e. requiring I.D for certain age requirements). Video game classifications are designed around that the primary age group is young teenagers are who play games, recent surveys conducted that worldwide the average age of a video game player is 33 years old. In Australia the average age of a video gamer is 28 years old.

d) Create a septate governing body for reviewing and classifying video games that has the interests the people and the industry, so games can be rated more fairly.