Game theory.

On the off chance I have any Australian readers, and in the hope that they'd care about the contemptible level of nannying and censorship imposed on us by the government at both state and federal level, I'd like to draw attention to this public consultation on the classification of video games.

The Commonwealth Government has released a discussion paper which briefly summarises the key arguments for and against an R 18+ classification for computer games. Censorship Ministers have considered the issue of an adult classification for computer games on several occasions. However, they have not undertaken public consultation on this issue.

Submissions are being sought on whether the Australian National Classification Scheme should include an R 18+ classification category for computer games. Submissions can be made by downloading and completing the submission template. Submissions may also be mailed or faxed. The discussion paper and submission template contain the contact details for making a submission.

Submissions are invited by close of business 28 February 2010.

I've blogged before on the situation with computer games here in Australia, and as I mentioned here there appears to be only one reason why Australia doesn't have an adult classification for games, and that is Michael Atkinson, the Attorney-General of South Australia. He doesn't like them and constitutionally he has the power to prevent a classification being made available to the official government censor, ah, I mean the Office of Film and Literature Classification. Which is a nice way of saying official government censor.

Films, computer games and some publications are classified under a National Classification Scheme which is a cooperative arrangement involving the Commonwealth, States and Territories. The Classification Board classifies films, computer games and publications by applying the Commonwealth Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995, the National Classification Code and the classification guidelines.

Due to the cooperative nature of the Scheme, any major changes to classification policy, such as the introduction of an R 18+ classification for computer games, must be unanimously agreed by Commonwealth, State and Territory Censorship Ministers.

Bad enough that we have a censor. Bad enough that Australia's governments at every level don't think its people are bright enough to be treated as adults. Bad enough that their solution is an unnecessarily complicated system of hard limits, which like all hard limits are fundamentally flawed.* But to have one man, possibly influenced by his personal religious convictions, to be able to impose his views not just on his own state but on every adult across the whole country - the thick end of 14 million people - is fucking ludicrous.

If you agree then nip along to the AG.gov.au site and download a submission form. Yes, if the South Australian AG is determined to obstruct it there's apparently little or nothing that can stop him apart from the small number of people who elected him in the first place voting him out. However, if enough pressure can be brought by demonstrating that a large number of people do want the adult classification, or at least don't object, then he might stop being such a tool about it.

* Individuals vary so it's inevitable that all age limits are set at the wrong level for virtually everyone alive. Those maturing slowly will pass the age limits too soon and those who are more advanced are going to be forced to wait for no practical reason. Without personally getting to know everyone in a population it's impossible for a government to make these decisions - only the adults responsible for individual children and teenagers can do that.