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.

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Comments

Re: New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid

Submitted by Father Time on Tue, 09/30/2008 - 00:47.

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.

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God created alcohol so that the Scottish and the Irish could never take over the world. -Chris 'Jedi' Knight

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Re: New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid

Submitted by MasterAssassin on Tue, 09/30/2008 - 00:23.

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.

Re: New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid

Submitted by grimfate on Mon, 09/29/2008 - 22:51.

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...

Re: New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid

Submitted by Solufien on Tue, 09/30/2008 - 14:35.

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

Re: New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid

Submitted by Shadow Darkman ... on Mon, 09/29/2008 - 20:40.

SPCS got PWNED!!!

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I AM DOOMED TO HAUNT JACK THOMPSON'S DREAMS UNTIL HIS CRUSADE AGAINST VIDEO GAMES ENDS.

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I AM DOOMED TO HAUNT JACK THOMPSON'S DREAMS UNTIL HIS CRUSADE AGAINST VIDEO GAMES ENDS.

Re: New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid

Submitted by Solufien on Tue, 09/30/2008 - 14:32.

Repeated post deleted.

"The system is shit, truth is all that matters." Spider Jerusalem, Transmetropolitian

Re: New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid

Submitted by Solufien on Mon, 09/29/2008 - 18:34.

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”.

Section 13 protects freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the right to adopt and hold opinions without interference.

"The system is shit, truth is all that matters." Spider Jerusalem, Transmetropolitian

Re: New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid

Submitted by Father Time on Tue, 09/30/2008 - 10:50.

"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

Re: New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid

Submitted by Solufien on Mon, 09/29/2008 - 16:43.

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

Re: New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid

Submitted by ConstantNeophyte on Mon, 09/29/2008 - 17:04.

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.

Re: New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid

Submitted by ConstantNeophyte on Mon, 09/29/2008 - 15:47.

Huh, SPCS fails? No way!

-ConstantNeophyte: always the newb, ALWAYS.

Re: New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid

Submitted by Cheater87 on Mon, 09/29/2008 - 15:40.

Hurray for freedom of speech.

Re: New Zealand Govt. Rejects Watchdog Group's GTA IV Ban Bid

Submitted by Canary Wundaboy on Mon, 09/29/2008 - 17:06.

Amen brother. Amen.

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