| Office Of Film And Literature Classification (australia) |
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The Classification Board and the Classification Review Board are established by the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 (Cth). This Act also contains the National Classification Code. The current members of the Classification Board are: Des Clark (director), Paul Hunt (deputy director), Wendy Banfield (senior classifier), Marie-Louise Carroll (senior classifier), Jeremy Fenton, Alexandra Greene, Robert Sanderson, Rodney Smith and Lynn Townsend. The current members of the Classification Review Board are: Maureen Shelley (convenor), Trevor Griffin (deputy convenor), Rob Shilkin, Kathryn Smith, Gillian Groom and Anthony Hetrih. LITERATURE RATINGS – Unrestricted – Unrestricted – Mature – Restricted Category 1 – Not available to persons under 18 years – Restricted Category 2 – Pornographic in nature; restricted as above. FILM AND VIDEO GAME RATINGS G (General) – These films and computer games are for general viewing. However, G does not conclusively mean a children’s film or game because many of these productions contain content that would be of no interest to children. The content is very mild. PG (Parental Guidance) – These films and computer games contain material that a parent might need to explain to younger children. The content is mild. M (Mature) – These films and computer games contain material that requires a mature perspective. The content is moderate. ''Note that the classifications above this point are advisory in nature only -- they are not legally binding. 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) – People under 15 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian for the duration of the film in the cinema. Parental permission to see an MA15+ film is not sufficient. People under 15 are not permitted to hire or buy films or computer games classified MA15+. The content is strong. Ratings that only apply to Films Video Games which are more violent and/or sexually explicit than what the MA rating allows are not allowed for sale in Australia and are Refused Classification by the OFLC. Games refused classification can be censored and resubmitted by their developers to gain an MA15+ rating, as was the case with Rockstar Games and Grand Theft Auto III . R18+ (Restricted) – People under 18 cannot see these films in the cinema or buy or hire them. This classification applies only to films. High impact content. X18+ (Pornographic) – People under 18 cannot buy or hire these videos and DVDs. This classification applies to films that contain only sexually explicit ( Pornographic ) content. ''Films rated X are currently only legally available for purchase in the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory -- however, they are widely available in sex shops in other states where their sale is illegal, and law enforcement in other states has made minimal effort to stop this.'' Other Classifications Films that are Refused Classification Films which are more violent and/or sexually explicit than what the X rating allows are not allowed for sale in Australia and are Refused Classification by the OFLC. The reasons why a film may be refused classification include:
Film classification is mandatory; and so movies that are refused classification by the OFLC are banned for sale, hire and public exhibition in Australia. E (Exempt from Classification) – These films are granted permission to be sold without a proper rating depending on the content of the film. This rating is usually given to documentaries, news and current affairs and exercise shows. Currently there is no predetermined marking for exempt films and computer games {Link without Title} , although it is advised that films and computer games that are exempt may display “This film /computer game is exempt from classification”. The content varies depending on the show / film. Any film or computer game which is to be rated E must not exceed the PG rating. In 2005 , the Movie Ratings system was Colour-coded and the ratings system presentation was brought up to date, following changes in the code. PREVIOUS VIDEO GAME RATINGS These ratings are still shown on some older video games that are still on sale in Australia SEE ALSO
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