Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

March 24, 2010

While it was originally thought that it might take up to two weeks for a replacement to be named for departing South Australian Attorney General Michael Atkinson, it's only taken a handful of days.

South Australian Premier Mike Rann has named fellow Labor Party member John Rau (pictured) as South Australian Attorney General. A lawyer by training, Rau has served in government since 2002 and was just re-elected as a candidate for Enfield, garnering 53.0 percent of the vote. In his profile page on the ALP site, Rau is described as “married with three children,” and a “keen gardener, cook and avid reader of non-fiction.”

That’s all well and good, but what about his thoughts on R18+? GamePron points us to a Tweet from Gamers4Croydon President Chris Prior for the answer to that important question. Prior wrote:

New SA Attorney-General is John Rau, a supporter or the R18+ classification for games (and a nice guy, to boot)

Premier Rann offered some more thoughts on Rau to ABC, describing the new Attorney General as well qualified for the position, adding, “He has and he's served on the backbench, he's a very distinguished barrister, his knowledge of jurisprudence is without exception in this state and I look forward to working with him.”

Could things be turning around for Australian gamers?


Thanks Ryan!
Buzz It

Comments

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by Father Time on Thu, 03/25/2010 - 01:42.

Ok then I have this, although it feels weird since Atkinson (allegedly) decided to do this himself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsaTElBljOE

----------------------------------------------------

Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.

---------------------------------------------------- Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by Father Time on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 21:47.

So will you tell us when this guy officially replaces Atkinson?

----------------------------------------------------

Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.

---------------------------------------------------- Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by Madcat on Thu, 03/25/2010 - 01:29.

If he isn't already he should be sworn in within the next few hours.

http://www.indaily.com.au/

"I've got a list of things I want to look at and one of those is the R-rated classification of video games."

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by TBoneTony on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 19:37.

Crosses fingers for new attorney generals in both South Australia and Tasmania.

 

TBoneTony

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by nightwng2000 on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 15:45.

He's an "avid reader of non-fiction".

But does he understand the value of Fiction, its diversity in content and context, and the Rights of individuals to create and participate in the various media formats that use Fiction and its subcatagories of genre?  Additionally, does he understand that individuals who create and participate in the general genre of Fiction, contrary to lies, deceit, and misinformation by Tin-Pot-dictator-Wannabes, understand the difference between Reality and Fiction?

Does he understand that Freedom of Expression, a basic Human Right, should be protected for EVERYONE, and not just those who like the same things he does?

I wonder about his own thoughts regarding the creation of a Bill of Rights for Australia and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Nightwng2000

NW2K Software

http://www.facebook.com/nightwing2000

Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl

Nightwng2000 NW2K Software http://www.facebook.com/nightwing2000 Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by Lichbane on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 15:24.

One thing to note is that Tazmania (another Aussie state) may have changed government on the weekend; it's still too close to call. Who will become AG over there? Will they support change?

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by Kalerender on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 17:37.

Tasmania with an s.

Unfortunately Tassie is about 20 years behind mainland Australia in culture, so most politicians are still at the "what?! the moving pictures come in colour now?!" stage of technology.

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by mdo7 on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 13:58.


This person looks promising, there is still hope that R18+ video game may come.  If I was a Australian, I would vote for this guy. 

 


Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by DarkSaber on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 15:11.

Because a persons stance on R18+ is the ONLY indicator of how suitable they are for office. /sarcasm

--------------------------------------------------

I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

-------------------------------------------------- I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by Cerabret100 on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 11:33.

Even if he ends up not personally supporting the R18+ for some reason, there's still the chance he'll realize "Hey, if everyone else is okay with it, maybe i should just stand aside and let them have it".

but if evidence dictates he does support R18+...then my australian friends, Christmas is about to come early.

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 12:44.

Which is exactly what a public official is supposed to do. No matter their personal stance, if the public at large wants it, they should put their personal feelings aside and make it so.

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by Chris Kimberley on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 13:04.

I'm not sure I totally agree with that.  In general if the public at large wants something, then yes government should provide it.  However, given how (frankly) stupid the average person is and how easily swayed they are it's at least possible that what the public wants would be a very bad idea.  In that case elected officials who, presumably (and I realize this is often not the case), are more knowlegable should not just "make it so."

===============

Chris Kimberley

===============

Chris Kimberley

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 13:37.

Ok, I"ll correct myself, they should do so within reason.

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 10:47.

Well, it is time to sit back and wait. Will this guy provide the Unanimous vote needed to get the R18 rating or will someone new step up to be the wrench in the works? E. Zachary Knight Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
Random Tower: Game News and Commentary

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by killatia on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 10:42.

Atkinson's replacment is a supporter of the R18+ raiting?  Now there is hope for aussie gamers.

http://www.magicinkgaming.com/

http://www.magicinkgaming.com/

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by sharpshooterbabe on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 10:10.

Time will tell if he will vote for the R18+ for video games.

 

 

"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry

"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry

Re: Atkinson’s Replacement Announced

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 10:04.

There's hope yet, especially in that Atkinson's endorsement wasn't listed.

Forgot your password?
Username :
Password :

Shout box

You're not permitted to post shouts.
DorthLous: Passed 1.5M$. And I'd also say that Brutal Legend is far from being a bad game. I just think it was a few levels under what people expected from the people working on the project.02/11/2012 - 8:25am
Technogeek: Brutal Legend wasn't bad so much as "marketing had no idea how the game actually played", causing it to suffer accordingly.02/10/2012 - 10:38pm
RedMage: It looks the CIA's website has been DDOS'ed. Anon?02/10/2012 - 7:52pm
RedMage: Brutal Legend.02/10/2012 - 7:52pm
ddrfr33k: Has anything Tim Schafer ever made been of crap caliber? I'm struggling to think of one...02/10/2012 - 7:37pm
Guamish: I think it is in good hands. Tim did a game for the GDC award show and that was fun for how short it was.02/10/2012 - 12:22pm
Andrew Eisen: It'll be tragic if the game ultimately sucks.02/10/2012 - 12:17pm
james_fudge: $1.3 million02/10/2012 - 11:32am
Uncharted NES: Germany Says It Won't Sign ACTA [Update: ... Yet]- http://tinyurl.com/7r2twrg02/10/2012 - 11:21am
Andrew Eisen: Damn. Double Fine's Kickstarter fund has already passed a million dollars.02/09/2012 - 8:16pm
Andrew Eisen: Audrey didn't quote the sassy parts. Here's IGN's article: http://wii.ign.com/articles/121/1218359p1.html And here's my original post: http://tinyurl.com/7y68a3902/09/2012 - 7:50pm
james_fudge: I hope you some said something sassy! Where's the link?02/09/2012 - 7:46pm
Andrew Eisen: Hey, neat. IGN quoted a blog I had writen only two hours earlier. I certainly timed that one pretty well.02/09/2012 - 7:38pm
Andrew Eisen: Toki Tori has been added to the Humble Bundle for Android.02/09/2012 - 5:11pm
james_fudge: Thanks for the heads-up DorthLous02/09/2012 - 4:33pm
DorthLous: Will do, my apologies.02/09/2012 - 4:14pm
Andrew Eisen: I appreciate the heads up but please keep typo alerts to the specific article's comments or PMs.02/09/2012 - 3:33pm
DorthLous: The title says 30, but in the article, the developer says it's like a 20% net tax http://www.gamepolitics.com/2012/02/09/developers-call-facebook-currency-transaction-fee-thirty-percent-tax02/09/2012 - 2:43pm
Uncharted NES: If they actually release Final Fantasy XI for PlayStation Vita, then I will consider buying one.02/09/2012 - 12:13pm
Uncharted NES: Customers Petition Apple to End Worker Abuse with 250,000 signatures- http://tinyurl.com/6vpuom202/09/2012 - 11:28am
All shouts

Be Heard - Contact Your Politician