New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid
New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid
September 29, 2008
In July GamePolitics reported that the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards, a watchdog group based in New Zealand had petitioned the government to reconsider its R18 rating for Grand Theft Auto IV. The SPCS hoped to see the controversial game banned, instead.
Kiwi game site Button Masher is now reporting that the group's effort has failed and that GTA IV will remain available to gamers in New Zealand:
In a victory for personal freedom (and common sense), the Film and Literature Board of Review has reconfirmed the earlier decision of the Office of Film and Literature Classification to grant the "uncut" version of GTA IV an R18 classification in New Zealand (contains violence, offensive language, and sex scenes). The Society for the Promotion of Community Standards had earlier this year applied for a review of the classification.
A PUBLICATION OF THE ECA
SUBSCRIBE
LOGINGamePolitics ShoutBox
Posted 07/03/09 at 09:17pm
BearDogg-X: I wonder what the Metropolitian Moron of Miami said in response to my comment saying that he got a dose of his medicine on the SGC09 Debate thread?
BearDogg-X: I wonder what the Metropolitian Moron of Miami said in response to my comment saying that he got a dose of his medicine on the SGC09 Debate thread?
Posted 07/03/09 at 06:51pm
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: He gets offended with a bunch of flowers.
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: He gets offended with a bunch of flowers.
Posted 07/03/09 at 06:49pm
GoodRobotUs: LOL He takes offence at the fact he might have *chosen* to be crazy?
GoodRobotUs: LOL He takes offence at the fact he might have *chosen* to be crazy?
Posted 07/03/09 at 06:47pm
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: He warned me to get a lawyer after I called him "crazy by his own choice"... that´s libel for him
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: He warned me to get a lawyer after I called him "crazy by his own choice"... that´s libel for him
Posted 07/03/09 at 06:45pm
HilaryDuffGta: "libel" what did he threaten now?
HilaryDuffGta: "libel" what did he threaten now?
Posted 07/03/09 at 06:44pm
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: Was fun to be threatened for "libel" again.
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: Was fun to be threatened for "libel" again.
Posted 07/03/09 at 06:26pm
HilaryDuffGta: hey so what did i miss??? the usual spam of "crap"
HilaryDuffGta: hey so what did i miss??? the usual spam of "crap"
Posted 07/03/09 at 06:15pm
FlakAttack: Jack ruined his chance to have civil debates with us here. Glad you banned him (again).
FlakAttack: Jack ruined his chance to have civil debates with us here. Glad you banned him (again).
Posted 07/03/09 at 04:04pm
Krono: Unexpected is probably the best word to describe it. Particularly as no decent reason is given.
Krono: Unexpected is probably the best word to describe it. Particularly as no decent reason is given.
Posted 07/03/09 at 03:59pm
GoodRobotUs: Just heard about that myself... kinda unexpected
GoodRobotUs: Just heard about that myself... kinda unexpected
Posted 07/03/09 at 03:58pm
Krono: Huh, apparently Sarah Palin is resigning.
Krono: Huh, apparently Sarah Palin is resigning.
Posted 07/03/09 at 03:34pm
GoodRobotUs: Sounds like he's been mainlining the Angel Dust again
GoodRobotUs: Sounds like he's been mainlining the Angel Dust again
Posted 07/03/09 at 01:50pm
ezbiker555: I'm back. Just in time too, my Jack Thompson sense were going wild
ezbiker555: I'm back. Just in time too, my Jack Thompson sense were going wild
Posted 07/03/09 at 01:47pm
DarkSaber: You mean "playing with himself"? :-P
DarkSaber: You mean "playing with himself"? :-P
Posted 07/03/09 at 01:16pm
Matthew: Oh, Jack's back? I guess he got bored of playing single-player.
Matthew: Oh, Jack's back? I guess he got bored of playing single-player.
Posted 07/03/09 at 01:05pm
Andrew Eisen: I'm leaving most of his comments up but he'll be banned again shortly.
Andrew Eisen: I'm leaving most of his comments up but he'll be banned again shortly.
Posted 07/03/09 at 01:03pm
PHX Corp: So the jackhole finally got through to attack us again
PHX Corp: So the jackhole finally got through to attack us again
Posted 07/03/09 at 01:03pm
Andrew Eisen: I deleted all of JT's off topic stuff.
Andrew Eisen: I deleted all of JT's off topic stuff.
Posted 07/03/09 at 01:00pm
PHX Corp: He also has more BS Law suits agains the florida bar
PHX Corp: He also has more BS Law suits agains the florida bar
Posted 07/03/09 at 12:47pm
DarkSaber: Yep, for once it's a GENUINE Jack Attack.
DarkSaber: Yep, for once it's a GENUINE Jack Attack.
Copyright © 2007 ECA. All rights reserved.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
Hurray for freedom of speech.
Amen brother. Amen.
Huh, SPCS fails? No way!
-ConstantNeophyte: always the newb, ALWAYS.
Bah! I would've like to seem them take-away copies of a game that had already been released. Hell, the Bill of Rights here make sedition legal, let alone GTA IV.
"The system is shit, truth is all that matters." Spider Jerusalem, Transmetropolitian
The guy who put an axe through the window of some electoral office got done for sedition. If I recall correctly.
-ConstantNeophyte: always the newb, ALWAYS.
Oh, don't remember that. Maybe I should've clarified myself. Sedition (as in the traditional meaning of the word, which is publicly advocating bringing down the government, or saying something that is damaging to the international or national reputation of the government) is more-or-less legal under these sections of the NZ Bill of Rights Act 1990:
Section 14 of the Bill of Rights states that “everyone has the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and opinions of any kind in any form”.
"The system is shit, truth is all that matters." Spider Jerusalem, Transmetropolitian
"of any kind in any form"
Wish we had that clause over here, it would have saved us a lot of arguments and heck maybe we wouldn't have the FCC around.
---------------------------------------------------- God created alcohol so that the Scottish and the Irish could never take over the world. -Chris 'Jedi' Knight
SPCS got PWNED!!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I AM DOOMED TO HAUNT JACK THOMPSON'S DREAMS UNTIL HIS CRUSADE AGAINST VIDEO GAMES ENDS.
Uncut version? I thought we got the cut version because of Australia...
Yipee! Good to know the Government isn't completely terrible when it comes to video games. We aren't allowed Postal 2...
Initally. But someone in Auckland is importing uncut versions and selling them. The Chief Censor gave it a R18.
"The system is shit, truth is all that matters." Spider Jerusalem, Transmetropolitian
I applaud the government of NZ despite some of thier previous bad descions on matters like this for standing up to these fascist fanatics who want to impose thier draconian vision of morality on the public. This is a great victory for free speech and gamers.
Perhaps the government thought that trying to ban one of the most hyped games in recent memory wouldn't really go over well with some of the voters.
----------------------------------------------------
God created alcohol so that the Scottish and the Irish could never take over the world. -Chris 'Jedi' Knight