OFLC's Combined Classification Guidelines - Final Comment

The Combined Classification Guidelines for Films & Computer Games were released in Canberra on March 28, 2003.

These were the outcome of a review conducted over 18 months, by the Office of Film and Literature Classification. They take effect immediately.

The Combined Guidelines have been subject to some criticism by community groups, who only saw the final version shortly before their release. (A detailed critique by Young Media Australia was printed in Small Screen, No. 183) Below is Young Media Australia’s final comment to the Federal Attorney General Daryl Williams in late March.

“YMA remains unconvinced that the Combined Guidelines do not change “the standards” nor potentially weaken the existing protections.

In summary:

1) YMA takes the view that “the standards” do not exist outside the Guidelines. If these are changed then so are “the standards”.

2) YMA believes the wording of the Guidelines is inconsistent. For eg, YMA did not receive a satisfactory explanation as to why the wording of the Combined Guidelines was inconsistent in the application of the concept of “frequency” under different classifiable elements. (For eg “violence” and ‘sexual activity” are not specifically required to be “infrequent” in G, but “coarse language” is. By some strange anomaly, “violence” is required to be “infrequent” in PG.)

The explanation that “frequency” will be covered by the test of “impact” is not reassuring. Most parents would probably consider it more important to have “violence” specifically required to be “infrequent” in G, than “coarse language”.

Independent advice to YMA has indicated that where a factor such as “frequency” is specifically mentioned in relation to one classifiable element and not to another, then the implication is that this would imply that the factor is less (or not) important. This may become an important issue in any classification review/legal process.

3) Further, there does appear to be a weakening of the specific requirements for content under the elements of “drug use” in both G and PG, which is worrying.

4) The reassurances that the existing protections will remain and be covered under the assessment of “impact” at G and PG do not carry a lot of weight. The judgement of impact on children requires either, the use of classifiers with child development expertise, or the identification and specific statement of sufficient broad content factors under each classifiable element to aid classifiers.

YMA is dismayed that its views were not sought before the Ministers made their decisions on the final draft of the Combined Guidelines, and believes that these Guidelines should not be released in their present form .

However, YMA understands that there will be a review of the Guidelines in a year, and at that time there will be an opportunity to change the wording. This review will only be of value if the review is based on an ongoing assessment through the year of all new G and PG films against the current and the new Combined Guidelines.”

To view the new Guidelines, visit the Office of Film & Literature Classification.