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[fisheyes]

Yeah, its Australia. Not all of Australia, though, just one state. And Michael Atkinson, the dude single-handedly blocking Australia's R18+ rating for games, is to blame.


http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...r-rated-cover-up/story-e6frg6nf-1225819431495

FILM distributors are alarmed by new laws that quietly came into effect in South Australia this week restricting the promotion and display of R-rated movies.

Adults aged over 18 seeking to buy or borrow a copy of Mad Max, the acclaimed desert war drama Three Kings, starring George Clooney, the Brad Pitt classic Fight Club or the 2009 Blu Ray release of Sasha Baron Cohen's fashion parody Bruno will now find them in plain packaging displaying nothing more than the film's title.

The rule will apply to titles for sale or rent unless those titles are quarantined from all other audiovisual materials, in an area signposted with a warning.

Under changes to the state's classification act, which came into effect on Sunday, businesses will face fines of up to $5000 for displaying a "poster, pamphlet or other printed material" for films classified R18+.

The new law applies to general outlets containing films with classifications lower than R18+, and not adult-only premises.

Several distributors expressed surprise at the announcement of the law coming into effect, saying they had learned of it only yesterday. Potential Films managing director Mark Spratt, who has distributed numerous R-rated titles, including the contentious French drama Romance, said he was "gobsmacked".

"It's gone completely under the radar," Mr Spratt said.

Plain packaging would prevent consumers making informed decisions about these films, including critically acclaimed titles such as Taxi Driver and Apocalypse Now, he said.

"It's certainly discouraging people to look for these films, discouraging shops from stocking them and (creates) an extra hassle for (distributors)," Mr Spratt said. It also had the potential to harm retailers in South Australia as consumers who wanted to buy the titles with their packaging intact would shop interstate or online.

The law was announced by the office of South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson, whose conservative campaigning is well known to the film industry.

Foyer stands and posters, cinema ads and billboards for R-rated films are unaffected.

Spoiler

The inclusion of Fight Club, Scarface, etc with Nazi Love Camp 27 is hilarious

 

[Dead Man]

The laws were quietly passed on the last parliamentary sitting day last year I believe. I went off about it in the AusGAF thread over in gaming. It sucked then, and it sucks now. Fucking Atkinson.

All it means is I and thousands of other people will get our media ordered from interstate or from overseas.

 

[OnkelC]

They look quite cool, actually, would make a great "R-Rated" section on the shelf:lol

 

[Cohsae]

Fucking Atkinson. Although if it's only in SA it'd be fairly easy to order them from other states I would imagine.
Also, easy compromise would be to have a slipcover or something that goes over the regular case. When you buy the DVD, toss the censored cover away.

 

[Dead Man]

They look quite cool, actually, would make a great "R-Rated" section on the shelf:lol

Actually... Any Gaffers want limited edition R rated covers for DVDs? PM me, only $20 per case, plenty to choose from! :lol

 

[Barrett2]

Australia seems like a fucking bizarre country.

 

[Chris R]

No clue how such a cool looking place can be so ass backwards. Can't people just vote the dickwad out of office or are they dealing with a generational thing (more old people than young ones)

 

[Cohsae]

No clue how such a cool looking place can be so ass backwards. Can't people just vote the dickwad out of office or are they dealing with a generational thing (more old people than young ones)

He's not going to get voted out over censorship is basically the bottom line. There's not enough awareness/care about the issue for it to decide an election.

 

[NekoFever]

It's good that they make the violent/dirty films that are already like a badge of honour for kids to see more obvious on the shelf.

Seriously, what is up with Australia's censorship laws?

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

Haha, I love these stories about Australia. It sounds like such a shitty place to live. You hear talk abut the nanny state here in England but seriously, I'm surprised you're allowed to hold your dick when you go for a piss in some areas of Aus.

 

[SolarPowered]

He's not going to get voted out over censorship is basically the bottom line. There's not enough awareness/care about the issue for it to decide an election.

Now I'm curious. What are the huge issues in Australia at the moment that overshadow internet/media censorship?

I ask because I don't know anything about Australia and the news on it keeps getting stranger and stranger.

 

[vanty]

It's good that they make the violent/dirty films that are already like a badge of honour for kids to see more obvious on the shelf.

Seriously, what is up with Australia's censorship laws?

For 95% of stuff we have barely any censorship compared to America, but this one ultra conservative old man does everything he can to censor anything he can. This definitely is going to suck ass for SA retailers though because no one is going to buy these movies when they can be gotten with original cases and probably cheaper from an online store.

Now I'm curious. What are the huge issues in Australia at the moment that overshadow internet/media censorship?

I ask because I don't know anything about Australia and the news on it keeps getting stranger and stranger.

Refugees is probably the biggest issue, lots of boats from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, etc are arriving constantly and what to do about them is a big issue. Haven't heard anything about censorship in the news for at least a couple weeks now.

 

[SolarPowered]

Refugees is probably the biggest issue, lots of boats from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, etc are arriving constantly and what to do about them is a big issue. Haven't heard anything about censorship in the news for at least a couple weeks now.

I usually keep up pretty well with international news, but I've NEVER heard of this issue before. Is it being used as a scapegoat for the public? Is this a serious issue for your country?. If it's the latter then could you point me to a place where I could get up to speed on this issue?

 

[Achtius]

Maybe they should censor the title too. Some of them sound too violent or offensive. :lol :lol

 

[Kurtofan]

What the fuck

 

[iamaustrian]

it's like a censorship-race between Australia and germany.
now in the lead: Australia

 

[MarkMclovin]

Is this just for the shops selling the movies, like do you get the proper sleeve inside or anything? What about the image on the DVD itself?

 

[legend166]

Now I'm curious. What are the huge issues in Australia at the moment that overshadow internet/media censorship?

I ask because I don't know anything about Australia and the news on it keeps getting stranger and stranger.

Immigration, climate change, the economy.

 

[Binabik15]

Good stuff, here in Germany it´s just forbidden to have indexed stuff openly displayed or advertized.

Which sucks, because without the chance to advertise we often don´t get the movies/games at all, because the publishers know it won´t sell.

 

[Darklord]

.

 

[Kurtofan]

it's like a censorship-race between Australia and germany.
now in the lead: Australia

Next thing you know Germany is going to annex Australia.
History repeats itself...

 

[XMonkey]

So there's not an actual cover behind this right?

I'd be fucking pissed if I actually paid money to buy a film and got that for the cover.

 

[Cohsae]

Boy it's a good thing our kids won't be exposed to these horrible images. What the fuck.

 

[DECK'ARD]

Truly unbelievable

 

[gdt]

What the hell?

None of this crazy stuff was explained to me on Lost.

 

[speedpop]

Refugees is probably the biggest issue, lots of boats from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, etc are arriving constantly and what to do about them is a big issue. Haven't heard anything about censorship in the news for at least a couple weeks now.

That's a whole different kettle of fish. Anyone who supports the strict refugee crap in this country needs to be slapped by a giant dildo.

I usually keep up pretty well with international news, but I've NEVER heard of this issue before. Is it being used as a scapegoat for the public? Is this a serious issue for your country?. If it's the latter then could you point me to a place where I could get up to speed on this issue?

It's a serious issue if you are an older person who believes that the influx of these refugees is taking jobs away from hardworking, honest, and true-blue young Australians. The same ones who wouldn't know what a hard and honest day's work would be like on a weekend, let alone a public holiday. Most often these people are the same ones that believe Aboriginals in this country are living off the Government so you can see how deluded they really are.

 

[jey_16]

although this stuff sucks....90% of people dont care enough to make an issue about it, hopefully the internet censorship thing actually creates a stir but really......it has not affected people's daily lives dramatically for them to take notice of it

its ridiculous though that a show like Underbelly is on at 8:30 yet R rated games and movies seem to get all the flack

 

[speedpop]

its ridiculous though that a show like Underbelly is on at 8:30 yet R rated games and movies seem to get all the flack

Or why the Government funds a television station that shows films featuring violence, nudity (at times full frontal), and sex scenes almost at a daily rate. The amount of hypocrisy makes me want to hurl.

 

[PetriP-TNT]

Boy it's a good thing our kids won't be exposed to these horrible images. What the fuck.

1. Smoking, Fighting
2. Wreckless driving
3. Guns
4. A gun

If we don't act on this right now our sons and daughters will be born insane

 

[Replicant]

WTF is this shit? Who the fuck do these people think they are that they get to decide what's good and what's bad for us?!!

 

[SolarPowered]

It's a serious issue if you are an older person who believes that the influx of these refugees is taking jobs away from hardworking, honest, and true-blue young Australians. The same ones who wouldn't know what a hard and honest day's work would be like on a weekend, let alone a public holiday. Most often these people are the same ones that believe Aboriginals in this country are living off the Government so you can see how deluded they really are.

So your country is basically what the US would be if the uber rednecks got their way?

Are there any informative books on the history of Oceania as a region? I'd like to read up on what has caused this. Australia has been a real anomaly as of late among countries influenced by western values.

 

[ScientificNinja]

As much as I detest Michael Atkinson (I've met the guy and he's a fucking twat. He's the kind of person who think's he's intelligent for addressing parliament in Latin, which he's done), I have to ask why Australia's film and retail industry pretty much said and did nothing in protest.

 

[jey_16]

So your country is basically what the US would be if the uber rednecks got their way?

Are there any informative books on the history of Oceania as a region? I'd like to read up on what has caused this. Australia has been a real anomaly as of late among countries influenced by western values.

overall.....Australia is more left leaning then the US, it helps that there is no religious right as well

Immigration used to be a major issue and it still might be for some people, but most people are concerned about the economy, climate change etc

 

[seanoff]

anyone want to start Rrated.com.au.

worked when porn was only available in the NT and ACT, people here made a small fortune selling mail order porn to the great unwashed in the states.

SA is a backwards ass place anyway, it's a pity that it holds up the rest of us sometimes.

 

[pieatorium]

As much as I detest Michael Atkinson (I've met the guy and he's a fucking twat. He's the kind of person who think's he's intelligent for addressing parliament in Latin, which he's done), I have to ask why Australia's film and retail industry pretty much said and did nothing in protest.

Well if you read the OP they only found out about it the day before it was passed, also this only applies to South Australia it's not a nationwide thing.

 

[pieatorium]

anyone want to start Rrated.com.au.

worked when porn was only available in the NT and ACT, people here made a small fortune selling mail order porn to the great unwashed in the states.

SA is a backwards ass place anyway, it's a pity that it holds up the rest of us sometimes.

R rated films are not banned just the display of their covers in retail and rental.

 

[ymmv]

With these kind of draconian laws in SA, what's the legality of porn?

 

[ScientificNinja]

Well if you read the OP they only found out about it the day before it was passed, also this only applies to South Australia it's not a nationwide thing.

There's an automated service called Media Monitors used by government agencies to publicize new developments like this. It would've gone out to every news outlet, every PR agency, every film company that's subscribed. I simply don't buy the notion that it 'slipped through' so easily.

SOMEONE should've picked up on it. I can't say much for the film industry as I've never worked in it, but having worked on newspapers I'd say the government reporters completely dropped the ball for not spotting this as a great story earlier.

 

[seanoff]

So your country is basically what the US would be if the uber rednecks got their way?
.

NO. our prime time FTA TV would be scandalous in the USA. Tits, arse, full frontals swearing, pretty heavy sex scenes, (SBS would be off air in the USA) etc etc.

guns are very restricted, there is no real history of everyone being armed to the teeth and less after a massacre (handguns are basically illegal).

there are a small subset of idiots who are against immigration etc. but that figure would be at less than 5%. lots of the population are only one or two generations from being immigrants themselves.

people who are too far too the left or right are generally looked upon as lunatics. go too far either way as a govt and you are gone. the right found out this last election when they introduced an employment system that people just thought was unfair. out they went. go too far as a political party, see you later.

 

[Draft]

They look quite cool, actually, would make a great "R-Rated" section on the shelf:lol

I agree.

 

[adama-rama]

I like to think that our overall awesomeness makes lunatics and madmen like Atkinson stand out more.

So they get more media coverage and the world picks this stuff up and thinks 'geez Australia's a bit shit' when we're actually really cool

Though to be honest, people like Atkinson get away with it because we don't tend to fuss over the smaller problems and focus everything on whatever the big issue is at that moment.

 

[panda21]

R just means 18? wtf? here it means hardcore. this is banananas, australia so crazy

 

[web01]

This makes be embarrassed to be an Australian, hopefully it doesn’t spread to the other states.

 

[speculawyer]

How has that man not been kicked out of whatever office he holds?

Can't someone run for office saying that nutbag will be fired if they win?

 

[jorma]

How has that man not been kicked out of whatever office he holds?

Can't someone run for office saying that nutbag will be fired if they win?

Someone should do the same about the "seven words you cannot say on TV" thingy. That's just as bad.

 

[Kritz]

My country is run by retards.
What the fuck.
:|

 

[SolarPowered]

NO. our prime time FTA TV would be scandalous in the USA. Tits, arse, full frontals swearing, pretty heavy sex scenes, (SBS would be off air in the USA) etc etc.

guns are very restricted, there is no real history of everyone being armed to the teeth and less after a massacre (handguns are basically illegal).

there are a small subset of idiots who are against immigration etc. but that figure would be at less than 5%. lots of the population are only one or two generations from being immigrants themselves.

people who are too far too the left or right are generally looked upon as lunatics. go too far either way as a govt and you are gone. the right found out this last election when they introduced an employment system that people just thought was unfair. out they went. go too far as a political party, see you later.

If all that you said is true then international media must hate you guys. I have a hard time imagining a country that has western values and leans left, but occasionaly bans or regulates the media/internet the way your government supposedly does or will. I also hear more about race related attacks than in the US even though the population must be 1/4 our size. You guys must be stuck in the perfect storm of negative media coverage..

People also keep mentioning climate change. What effects has it had on Australia?

 

[seanoff]

If all that you said is true then international media must hate you guys. I have a hard time imagining a country that has western values and leans left, but occasionaly bans or regulates the media/internet the way your government supposedly does or will. I also hear more about race related attacks than in the US even though the population must be 1/4 our size. You guys must be stuck in the perfect storm of negative media coverage..

People also keep mentioning climate change. What effects has it had on Australia?

long (5+ yrs) of drought tends to focus the minds of those in the southern states. Victoria has fuck all water, 81.8% of NSW is drought declared. they have water restrictions of epic proportions

up in my neck of the woods it means bigger and meaner cyclones. we've had 32 inches of rain in the last month.


we also have universal health care (OMG)

minimum wage is $14.31 /hr, tipping is not widespread.

if you said something like Limbaugh said about Haiti on aus radio you'd be charged with a criminal offence.

 

[red shoe paul]

Wow, I'm sorry for the Australian DVD collectors having alot of many different covers to having the same thing now.

 

[bengraven]

Yeeeees.

I'll be grabbing these. They'll make my DVD shelf look uniform and classy.