Fed: Eros calls for NVE computer games classification

AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-2001
Fed: Eros calls for NVE computer games classification

By Max Blenkin

CANBERRA, Aug 24 AAP - Australia's sex industry lobby group the Eros Foundation today
called for a non-violent erotica (NVE) classification for currently banned sexually explicit
computer games.

Eros Foundation spokeswoman Polly McGee said the R category (for those aged 18 and
over) as proposed in new draft guidelines was likely to be full of violent material with
minimal sexual content.

"Responsible adult traders do not like their non-violent videos being included in the
same category as Hannibal and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre," she said in a statement.

"There should be a non-violent erotica classification to handle adult sexual computer games."

Ms McGee said it was time the real Australian community let its voice be heard in this
debate and not just the church and politicians.

The draft guidelines were prepared by the Office of Film and Literature Classification
(OFLC) in a bid to deal with problems created by new media such as DVDs that can contain
both films and games.

Adults-only computer games are now banned in Australia, whereas films can be rated
R (18 years and over) or X (sexually explicit), as well as G (general), PG (parental guidance
recommended), M (mature, recommended for 15 and over), and MA (mature accompanied, suggesting
children under 15 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian).

Computer games are rated either G, G(8+) (general, recommended for eight and above)
and M(15+) (mature, suitable for 15 and above).

The new R guideline has been drafted so it could also apply to computer games should
the review process deem that desirable.

Attorney-General Daryl Williams said the guidelines were regularly reviewed and the
potential for an R rating for computer games was being considered.

"What we've found is that because of DVDs in particular we can't really tell what is
a film or a video on the one hand as against a computer game on the other," he said on
ABC radio.

"Because they're all on the one disc so we're having to deal with them together.

"We're putting up a proposal for consideration by the public and the public will have
the opportunity to have their say.

"One of the proposals is that there be an R classification for video games, computer
games. There currently is none."

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KEYWORD: CLASSIFICATION NIGHTLEAD

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