Australian classification board

The Australian Classification Board ACBformerly known as the Office of Film and Literature Classification OFLC is a statutory classification body which provides day to day administrative support for the Classification Board which rates films, computer games, and publications in Australiaaustralian classification board the Classification Review Board which reviews films, computer games and publications when a valid application has been made, australian classification board. Since the name was changed to ACB, the analogous New Zealand body no longer has the same, but still has the old name. Both organizations are completely separate entities and as such, ratings do differ between them.

The Australian Classification Board ACB or CB is an Australian government statutory body responsible for the classification and censorship of films, video games and publications for exhibition , sale or hire in Australia. The Department of Communications and the Arts provided administrative support to the ACB from until , when it was merged into the 'mega department' of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. The ACB is made up of a director, a deputy director, and three other board members, appointed by the government for three- or four-year terms, and temporary board members. The ACB does not directly censor material by ordering cuts or changes. However, it is able to effectively censor media by refusing classification and making the media illegal for hire, exhibition and importation to Australia. The classification system has several levels of "restricted" categories, prohibiting sale, exhibition or use of some materials to those who are under a prescribed age. Some films those made for educational or training purposes, for instance are exempt from classification under certain conditions.

Australian classification board

The Australian Classification Board and Classification Review Board are government-funded organisations that classify all films and games that are released for public exhibition. The Exempt classification can be used to rate special programs, given that they do not exceed the constraints of the PG classification. The Australian Classification Board participates in the International Age Rating Coalition in the context of classifying computer games. Exempt from classification. Films that are exempt from classification are usually about general information that is not purposed to entertain. Not shown in the classification database. There are no age restrictions. Children are allowed to view the film. However, a short description of one or more scenes being frightening to young children may be visible. Some G-classified films may contain content that is not of interest to children. The content is very mild in impact. Parental guidance is recommended. Contains content that is not recommended for children under 15 years without the guidance of their parents or guardians. The content is mild in impact.

This rating applies to films that "depict unsimulated sexual content only". These ratings are still shown on some older video games that are still on sale in Australia, australian classification board. The aim of this recommendation is to provide for consistent and accurate classification information and labelling of content.

In the OFLC was dissolved, and supervision of the Australian Classification Board was transferred to the Attorney-General's Department and received administrative support from the Department of Communications and the Arts until where it was merged with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. These three film certificates i. The Australian Classification Board was created in to classify or rate all films that came into Australia. In early , the NRC certificate was replaced with the PG certificate and the X certificate was introduced for sexually explicit content and briefly for violent content that would otherwise be refused classification. Also, the G and PG certificates remain the same. The other classification categories G, PG and M are merely recommendations, and they are not submitted to legal age restrictions. RC banned material cannot be sold, hired or distributed to any persons.

The Australian Classification Review Board is a statutory censorship and classification body overseen by the Australian Government. The corporate body is responsible for reviewing classification decisions made by the Australian Classification Board concerning films , video games and publications for exhibition, sale or hire in Australia. Review decisions need to be initiated by an appeal from a previous applicant, most commonly referred to as "aggrieved party", or a Federal or State Attorney-General. As of [update] , the board comprises a convenor, deputy convenor and five other board members. The current convenor is former senator Sue Knowles , who was appointed in January to a two-year term. This Act also provides a basis for the National Classification Code which guides their decision making. As the State and Territory governments retain responsibility for enforcing censorship and could withdraw from, or ignore the national classification scheme if they so wished, any changes to the national classification scheme must be agreed to by all the State and Territory Censorship Ministers usually Attorneys-General. South Australia is the only state to maintain a separate Classification Council which can override national classification decisions applicable within the state. The Classification Review Board does not censor material by ordering cuts or changes.

Australian classification board

Although Australia is considered to have, in general, both freedom of speech and a free and independent media , [1] certain subject-matter is subject to various forms of government censorship. These include matters of national security, judicial non-publication or suppression orders, defamation law, the federal Racial Discrimination Act Cth , film and literature including video game classification, and advertising restrictions. Some forms of censorship are not administered directly by the government or courts. For example, some foreign websites have on occasion been blocked by Australian internet service providers.

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Contains content that is recommended for viewers 15 and over. However, people under 15 may legally access such material since this category carries no legal restrictions. Australian Classification Board. It is legal to possess RC material in most areas. This was the subject of complaint in the gaming community, who argued that there is no reason why adults should be prevented from seeing content in games that they could see in a film. Article Talk. Toggle limited content width. The content has been assessed and approved for advertising unclassified films and computer games. Some films and documentaries such as current affairs and those created for business, scientific and education purposes are exempt from classification unless, if classified, they would be M or above. The content is strong in impact. Curious about the Australian Classification Board ratings on games, movies, or TV shows, and want to know what they mean? The Sydney Morning Herald. They are most commonly applied to publications which contain sexualised nudity. Contains content that is not recommended for children under 15 years without the guidance of their parents or guardians. View history Talk 0.

Rightwing activist Bernard Gaynor applied to the board earlier this year to review the classification of Gender Queer by non-binary writer Maia Kobabe, a graphic novel-style memoir about gender identity. In the US, Gender Queer is the most challenged book in libraries.

RC publications are banned and cannot be sold or displayed anywhere in Australia. Aside from adding additional reasons for classifications across the different ratings, the classification sign at the beginning of a movie will now be more specific. Sue Knowles , Convenor. However, the previous monochrome classification symbols can still be seen on DVD and video packaging released before the change. Unclassified works can only be advertised with a classified work when it has been assessed as likely to be the same classification or lower. This rating has since been changed to PG. By contrast, the classifications below are legally restricted -- i. Read View source View history. Archived from the original on 19 May Retrieved 27 February