Aussie Censorship: Part Deux

[goat]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/na ... 5819431495

It appears that our favorite friends with a continent all to themselves have extended their censorship laws yet again, this time targeting films. Films designated R-18 (that's just R in the states) are no longer allowed to be promoted by "poster, pamphlet or other printed material" up to and including the covers of the dvd cases, with a 5000$ penalty for failure to comply.

Discuss.

[DmitriW]

As Hileict put it in another, completely unrelated thread...

[Bananafish]

It's funny because in the US they frequently allow gore, violence, dismemberment, torture, but are firmly against sexuality and they do it all under the guise of 'protecting the children.' I've noticed other countries are exactly the opposite though.

I honestly have no idea what's up Australia's ass though, why do they seem to be against violence in media so much more than anyone else?

[theDreamer]

They ARE a colony of criminals.

Perhaps they worry if too much violence is shown, some genetic switch common to all Australians (the ones who came by boat as criminals) will switch, and everyone will go crazy?

[Huxley]

Surely seeing promotional material for a film with mature situations in it will turn even the most well-mannered and courteous person into a raving serial killer. Thank Jebus that the Australian government is preventing people from promoting such trashy and malevolent films like...Schindler's List and Shawshank Redemption...If those snuff films got out into unsuspecting hands I don't know what would happen.

[Trymantha]

im trying to figure ou why i am surprised.

[Bananafish]

australia must be boring as fuck

[epocalypse]

...should we helilift yahtzee out yet?

[sdhonda]

Given his statements on the US, Canada may be the best bet.

[Master Gunner]

I would suggest his native UK, but I'd prefer him in Canada.

[masamune]

it's only south australia, but yeah, stupid. i'm vacating this shithole ASAP. or, at least going to melbourne. things are slightly better there.

[Genghis Ares]

Wow, that's some grade-A bullshit South Australia.

[korri]

That just seems weird.... I mean it said at the bottom of the article that posters, cinema ads and other stuff isn't affected. A lot of times, the posters are more prevalent and have similar if not the same artwork.

[Alja-Markir]

This is a dramatic reenactment.

Australians: We'd like the ability to partake in the full spectrum of English language culture if we so choose, please.

Australians In Positions of Authority: Oh, yes, um, well. About that. You're all too stupid to decide things like that for yourselves. We're going to do it for you, because otherwise the universe will break. Can you imagine the mess we'd have on our hands if that happened?

Australians: When, in the history of foreverity, has a film, novel, game, or other cultural artifact really actually hurt anybody? It's not culture that drives people to do stupid things, its stupid people being stupid that drives them to do stupid things, regardless of the culture they are exposed to.

Australians In Positions of Authority: Well, to be safe, we're making all these laws. You know, to protect you from yourselves. And to appease our highly selective electoral constituents. Really, we just don't want to face even the remotest chance of ever being held responsible for making rational judgement calls, so instead we just do the opposite and make sure we only do things that absolve of us of all responsibility, no matter how stupid or unreasonable they are.

Australians: ...

Australians In Positions of Authority: Oh, don't give me that look. Ahh, I know! You should attend the budget meeting we'll be holding tomorrow, right after the council on environmental issues! That'll show you just how capable we are as leaders and civil servants!

Fin.

~Alja~

Addendum: For added fun, try replacing the word "Australians" with the equivalent collective terminology of any other people or nation in the modern world!

[sdhonda]

In reality, the censorship in Australia is largely due to one man, a judge or whatever, who sits on the council who decides this stuff. Very conservative man. The way its set up, he can stonewall any efforts to loosen regulations. And, he has a great deal of support from his state.

Australia does not have a culture of overt censorship, so much as a lack of any protections from such censorship such as those that exist in the US.

[MattAn]

As Hileict put it in another, completely unrelated thread...

Gotta say, I lol'd. Then my face completely mimicked Greg Proops. RAGE QUIT AUSTRALIA PLOX, I NO WANT... Wait..

it's only south australia, but yeah, stupid. i'm vacating this shithole ASAP. or, at least going to melbourne. things are slightly better there.

Ah, that'll explain it. South Australia is a strange, strange, in-breeding place. In saying that though, George Negus (one of our oldest news reporters here) had come up with a brilliant idea. Get rid of the state lines and have one federal government, which will dispose of the idiotic state governments trying to censor everything.. OR each state succeeds and forms their own country. I know Western Australia would LOVE that idea, right masamune?

But eh, if I were to go back to the eastern states (I'm from Sydney), like masamune, I'd flee to Melbourne. Seems like it has more acceptance of video games, etc.. With all the specialist games design colleges there and in Brisbane (Yahtzee).

[DmitriW]

As Hileict put it in another, completely unrelated thread...

Gotta say, I lol'd. Then my face completely mimicked Greg Proops.

Took you long enough to find my homage to you, man.

Seriously, what's going on in your country sucks ass. I wish I could do something to help.

[Unlucky]

Censorship.

Hrmph.

I've ranted about this enough, suffice to say: I strongly dislike this type of change.

[Arius]

Censorship is not the just oppression of the artist. Censorship is the oppression of us all.
- Me (Just now)

[gnomebard]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/na ... 5819431495

Films designated R-18 (that's just R in the states) are no longer allowed to be promoted by "poster, pamphlet or other printed material" up to and including the covers of the dvd cases, with a 5000$ penalty for failure to comply.

Discuss.

ok so I can (kind of....) see the posters and printed material. (sort of... maybe?) but the DVD cases? that's just to far. from the post you can't even list the name of the movie on the DVD cover. so are you suppose to go to the guy at <insert australian chain store here> and say "is that movie out yet?" and is the guy suppose to reply "yes we have to keep it in an unmarked box behind the counter."?

I don't want to know want to know what the government there dose to porn. but now I am morbidly curious.

EDIT:

Censorship is not the just oppression of the artist. Censorship is the oppression of us all.
- Me (Just now)

word.

[PenninInk]

Sixteen of them, actually. Nineteen if you count the byline.

[goat]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/na ... 5819431495

Films designated R-18 (that's just R in the states) are no longer allowed to be promoted by "poster, pamphlet or other printed material" up to and including the covers of the dvd cases, with a 5000$ penalty for failure to comply.

Discuss.

ok so I can (kind of....) see the posters and printed material. (sort of... maybe?) but the DVD cases? that's just to far. from the post you can't even list the name of the movie on the DVD cover. so are you suppose to go to the guy at <insert australian chain store here> and say "is that movie out yet?" and is the guy suppose to reply "yes we have to keep it in an unmarked box behind the counter."?

I don't want to know want to know what the government there dose to porn. but now I am morbidly curious.

EDIT:

Censorship is not the just oppression of the artist. Censorship is the oppression of us all.
- Me (Just now)

word.

Actually, gnomebard, the article says that all cover art on dvd cases has to be censored. Which I assume means that they would get the normal cover and then be covered up on the racks either by a dark-colored piece of plastic with the title labeled on the front like they do for magazines with objectionable content on the covers or they would have a second "generic" wrapper with just the title and rating printed on it.

[Master Gunner]

Verses here, where Playboy is simply on the magazine rack in the Student Union store, next to PC Gamer.

[Alja-Markir]

Well you ARE in New Brunswick.

~Alja~

[Master Gunner]

Why do you have to keep rubbing that in? Ugh.