Watch Out Bikies! Gamers Are Taking Over!

[Grennan]

MICHAEL Atkinson says his family is more at risk from angry video gamers than outlaw motorcycle gangs.

From Gamers scarier than bikies: Michael Atkinson | News.com.au

The South Australian Attorney-General revealed in an interview aired last night that a "threatening note from a gamer" was placed under his door early one morning.

"I feel that my family and I are more at risk from gamers than we are from the outlaw motorcycle gangs who also hate me and are running a candidate against me," he said on ABC TV's Good Game.

"The outlaw motorcycle gangs haven't been hanging around my doorstop at 2am. A gamer has."

Mr Atkinson was involved in introducing tough new laws to outlaw bikie gangs in South Australia several years ago.

At the time he said politicians and public officials had to put themselves "on the line" to take the gangs on.


The comment on Good Game is the latest volley in a war of words between Mr Atkinson and people who support the introduction of an R18+ rating for video games.

Australia is the only Western country without an adult rating for games. Mr Atkinson has been the most vocal opponent of introducing one and has the power to veto changes to the classification system.

Industry groups say an adult rating would help parents make better decisions about which games are appropriate for children, but Mr Atkinson disagrees. He has previously referred to the campaign as akin to saying: "Give us more cruel s3x and extreme violence!"

However the attorney-general's famously colourful rhetoric hasn’t always hit the mark.

In 2004 Mr Atkinson told South Australian Parliament that bikies had used a park barbeque in his electorate to "cook a cat for human consumption".

He was later forced to apologise. The animal was not a cat, the incident happened at another location and bikies weren't involved.

This guy is a complete and utter nut job. I am so sick of the "give us more cruel sex" example. He uses it every chance he gets and hes basing it off a Japanese game that has never or will never be released anywhere else in the world (and has since been removed from Japan).

I love how is making us gamers look like a bunch of over stimulated psychos with plastic controllers ready to take over the world.

Watch out Atkinson, Im comming for you




Oh look hes displaying hoon activity, ban him!

[neet_wagon]

^^^^ I knew my scare tactics would pay off mwahahahahaha!!

In all honesty, who does he think he is to not allow a R18+ rating in our country?
It's crap, why can't we play the games that they can in the US and UK?!

Games like Fallout3 and Bioshock, and far to many others have been either banned completely, or until they took half the fun out of them.

I don't see what the big deal is with not allowing it. It would allow games stores to refuse sales to people under 18, therefore staying true to his warped views of 'to much violence for our kids'

He doesn't even play the bloody things! It'd be like me banning fuel effiecient cars, I don't own one, i never intend to, i don't associate with them, but 'ohh no, I couldn't let others enjoy thier favorite past-times'.

Give me my games in thier true unmolestered form.

[Grennan]

I think its just funny how he is going on and on about protecting children yet games like Fallout 3 and Modern Warfare 2 which are R Rated everywhere else, are shoved in our MA rating. How does that protect anyone?

He is so out of touch and uninformed. The game he constantly brings up contained cruel sex is a Japanese Hentai game. It was released ONLY in Japan and was not intended for release anywhere else in the world. It has since been banned in Japan.

The other game he brings up from time to time is a game which "Glorifies Terrorism". It is a Flash Game on the internet which allows you to run into cars etc with bombs. It is a Flash Game on the internet and is not subject to any ratings at all. Great example.

[wraith]

Yeah I can't go buy a R18 game with simulated violence but I can spend 10 minutes on a certain website and see innumerable acts of violence and sexual relations in real life. That works.

[azkwazere]

Bah, stop complaining.

If you dont like the rules of Australia. Leave.

Its like this forum, everyone winges about changes to the rules and moderators... its just like life except the moderators are politicions and police. ($10 Says that a mod will post something contrary in here shortly)

You cant complain here, you cant complain in life.

Maybe you should have voted for the libs.

</thread closed>

aZk.

[Julie]

lol u are right that I will post to the contrary, major difference I see forum is not a democracy, its owned by an individual, Darren... what happens on here is up to him and its up to him to decide who moderates and what if any guidelines are followed and if people don't like that they can whinge but he doesn't have to listen or do anything about it. Whereas we are living in a democratic nation where we can have our say and whinge about policies and the like as much as we like and if enough people do whinge and are committed to make a stand policies can be changed

[neet_wagon]

Bah, stop complaining.

If you dont like the rules of Australia. Leave.

Its like this forum, everyone winges about changes to the rules and moderators... its just like life except the moderators are politicions and police. ($10 Says that a mod will post something contrary in here shortly)

You cant complain here, you cant complain in life.

Maybe you should have voted for the libs.

</thread closed>

aZk.

I AM complaining in here, and who are you to say I can't complain in life
(have you met my missus??) I can complain as much as I bloody well please!

I am happy with the majority of the rules in Australia, and I am proud to be Australian

I am merely stating that it is people with no idea that are ruining this country (lets not forget the insulation problem)

[azkwazere]

I AM complaining in here, and who are you to say I can't complain in life
(have you met my missus??) I can complain as much as I bloody well please!

I am happy with the majority of the rules in Australia, and I am proud to be Australian

I am merely stating that it is people with no idea that are ruining this country (lets not forget the insulation problem)

Just saying, unless your going to do something about it (apart from complaining on a completly unrelated car forum) then move on...

aZk.

[neet_wagon]

The thread was posted in the LAN Lounge, which i believe would make it in the correct, and acceptable place to post it.

[Julie]

Just saying, unless your going to do something about it (apart from complaining on a completly unrelated car forum) then move on...

aZk.

lol yeah guys, don't whinge about it on a computer subforum go and leave threatening notes under the attorney general's door

[STEALTHY™]

Just saying, unless your going to do something about it (apart from complaining on a completly unrelated car forum) then move on...

aZk.

How else would you get the numbers up to make a significant change? Post an ad in the paper asking people to send you a letter of interest via snailmail? haha some people.....

[azkwazere]

How else would you get the numbers up to make a significant change? Post an ad in the paper asking people to send you a letter of interest via snailmail? haha some people.....

Oh yeah because the government really listen to petitions... just look at all the facebook groups making a difference.

aZK.

[ari666]

major difference I see forum is not a democracy, its owned by an individual, Darren... what happens on here is up to him

i thought kevin rudd owned australia?

[STEALTHY™]

Oh yeah because the government really listen to petitions... just look at all the facebook groups making a difference.

aZK.

So what exactly are you saying. Stop complaining on this forum, and do it somewhere else where nothing will also happen? Hi guys, i'm contradiction, nice to meet you all.

[acarmody]

i thought kevin rudd owned australia?

Here sure has owned us, owned us big time.

[neet_wagon]

Here sure has owned us, owned us big time.

You all bitch and moan about rudd F*&king up Australia, and yes he has made quite a few stupid mistakes, but he is far better than that little bald bastard could of ever hoped to be

[acarmody]

You all bitch and moan about rudd F*&king up Australia, and yes he has made quite a few stupid mistakes, but he is far better than that little bald bastard could of ever hoped to be

Not saying he isn't, but history will always remember someones faults not their accomplishments.

[STEALTHY™]

Lets not make this about purely politics, this is just about one topic, and one moron politician.

[neet_wagon]

And not being able to play games in thier un-molestered form!

[acarmody]

I have managed to play the Left For Dead 2 demo uncensored.
o.0 that be some crazy gore. Completely awesome. Anyway I'm going out on a murderous rampage now, can't disappoint the politicians now.

[bezz]

Bah, stop complaining.

If you dont like the rules of Australia. Leave.

Its like this forum, everyone winges about changes to the rules and moderators... its just like life except the moderators are politicions and police. ($10 Says that a mod will post something contrary in here shortly)

You cant complain here, you cant complain in life.

Maybe you should have voted for the libs.

</thread closed>

aZk.

Yawn. Voting for the libs has nothing to do with it. Atkinson will continue to keep his seat in Croydon till he decides to stand down. Its one of the safest seats in SA due to the predominantly aged population in his constituency. He sends them Christmas cards and they continue to vote for him.

He won't back down from his stance on video games either as it gives him that little bit of power over everyone else. No petitions or threats or whatever are going to change that.

[Julie]

Oh yeah because the government really listen to petitions... just look at all the facebook groups making a difference.

aZK.

You'd actually be suprised, I joined one little facebook group and so did over 5000 other people protesting the situation with our council provided waste services. The group got local and national media interest leading to some really positive changes to our situation. Previous calls to council and councillors and letters to the local rag fell on deaf ears I can say undoubtedly if this facebook group wasn't made we'd still be getting screwed over by our council.

[Grennan]

Yawn. Voting for the libs has nothing to do with it. Atkinson will continue to keep his seat in Croydon till he decides to stand down. Its one of the safest seats in SA due to the predominantly aged population in his constituency. He sends them Christmas cards and they continue to vote for him.

He won't back down from his stance on video games either as it gives him that little bit of power over everyone else. No petitions or threats or whatever are going to change that.

Of course he wont back down on his stance. As far as the uninformed public is aware hes doing a bang up job at keeping these violent games of our shelves.

Little do they know that a) these games are often let through in a LESSER rating of MA15+ - 1 example is Modern Warfare 2, R Rated almost everywhere else, however MA here.

b) these games are easy to obtain, whether it be via Importing from the UK or download. All it does is allow people to buy R rated games disguised as MA. It is NOT ILLEGAL in some states to import banned games (Illegal to resell them). So whats the point in keeping them out?

He raises his point about kids being able to get their hands on R Rated games. Of course they will. But thats the parents responsibility, much like parents giving their kids alcohol or cigarettes. They can do it if they like, but face fines etc. Alcohol isnt banned because a 17 year olds are drinking, why should games be banned?

Hell if parents were that worried, modern consoles have rating restrictions on them. Parents can choose what ratings will and will not play on the console - and they can password protect it.

Atkinson is just an old codger forcing his 1950's views on everyone untill he carks it.

And Azk, yes I know I posted this on a car forum, however this is the technology/gaming based subforum. More people who are aware, the bigger the voice for change is. I got this from the Xbox forums so its not like its ONLY posted here.

[neet_wagon]

Why does someone who holds one measly seat have the power to ban an R18+ rating for the whole country?
I sure the half million or so gamers (dedicated gamers) in this country would have a bigger/louder voice to be heard than his, surely?

I know the SSAA (Sporting Shooters Association of Australia) have a man in parliment helping them with thier issues. Maybe thiers someone thats a mad-keen (secret) gamer in parliment we can use???

[bezz]

He's an Attorney General. In order for the law to change all 6 (I think its 6) Attorneys General need to agree. Atkinson is the only one holding out.