The Office of Film and Literature Classification. The content-rating system used in
Australia. Each video and computer game is given a classification before it is allowed to be sold.
The different classifications - or "ratings" are as follows:
G - General exhibition. Anyone can watch/play something with a
G rating.
PG - Parental Guidance recommended. It is recommended that any person watching/playing something under the age of 15 should have a person over
18 supervising, if the content has a PG rating.
M15+ - Mature. It is recommended for
people 15 years or older. Although
people under 15 are allowed to watch/play it, it's not recommended.
MA15+ - Restricted to persons 15 years or older. Nobody under 15 is allowed to watch/play content with an MA15+ rating.
R18+ - Restricted to persons 15 years or older. No body under the age of
18 is allowed to watch content with an R rating. There is no R rating for
computer games.
X18+ - A rare rating that is only ever used for pornographic films. No games can have an X18+ rating. It is illegal for someone under the age of
18 to view videos with an X rating.
Any content that does not fall into any of those categories is refused classification. Therefore, it is not legal for sale in
Australia.
Due to the fact that there is no R rating for games, many adult-oriented games have been refused classification by the OFLC and some have had to have content removed to fit the MA15+ rating.
Some games that have been refused classification include: Postal, Postal 2,
50 Cent: Bulletproof , Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (originally it had an MA15+ rating, but after the "Hot
Coffee" scandal it was refused classification and later re-released) and Manhunt.
