Is there a penalty for playing banned video games in Australia?

[qiunn]

Lets say someone bought something like Hotline Miami 2 or Saint Row 4 on eBay in Australia. Or if someone smuggled a copy of a banned game some way. Would you be prosecuted in any way or another?

[Florida Man]

The nanny state sends their finest emu wranglers over there, they bust down your door screaming "WHAT CHU PLOYIN THERE U CHEEKY ♥♥♥♥??!" and they rope you up.

Then they take you to the furthest part of the outback and drop you off in the desolate wasteland.

[MADWACZ]

I am curious too for that. Most Australians are sleeping now.

[MADWACZ]

Originally posted by Florida Man:

The nanny state sends their finest emu wranglers over there, they bust down your door screaming "WHAT CHU PLOYIN THERE U CHEEKY ♥♥♥♥??!" and they rope you up.

Then they take you to the furthest part of the outback and drop you off in the desolate wasteland.

Are this necessary to this topic?

[Florida Man]

Originally posted by MADWACZ:

Are this necessary to this topic?

Sure it is, why not.
But you should know that, as the poster, I would feel that way about it.

[Radene]

Originally posted by Florida Man:

The nanny state sends their finest emu wranglers over there, they bust down your door screaming "WHAT CHU PLOYIN THERE U CHEEKY ♥♥♥♥??!" and they rope you up.

Then they take you to the furthest part of the outback and drop you off in the desolate wasteland.

Sounds like an awesome nanny. The kind I'd hire for any kid I'd need to supervise.

[jre]

I wonder if their government cares that much

[Gus the Crocodile]

The laws on this differ state by state, but I believe in most states it’s legal to possess Refused Classification material for private use, it’s just illegal to sell or exhibit in public. (There is material that it’s illegal to possess nationally, but that’s stuff like child pornography, not violent videogames)

Last I heard, possession itself is illegal in Western Australia, and maybe parts of the NT.

[BanOphobia My Struggle]

Penalty yes street cred goes up 110% which is something gaming nerds do not like.

[Azza ☠]

They are banned for sale, hire or public exhibition, carrying a maximum fine of $275,000 and/or 10 years in jail.

It is, however, legal to possess RC (Refused Classification) games (except in Western Australia and prescribed areas of the Northern Territory).

In New Zealand, we had the game Postal 2 banned (something I played as a kid and enjoyed). Now, a fine of NZ$2,000 ($1,400) can be imposed on anyone caught with a copy, and anyone who "supplies, distributes, exhibits, displays, or advertises Postal 2 could be imprisoned for up to a year or fined NZ$20,000 ($14,000)." Larger, "incorporated distributors and retailers" could be fined NZ$50,000 ($38,000).

So it comes down to mostly distributing/selling it, but yeah some places will still fine you for just playing a banned game.

ps: Ironically, the other Postal games in the series are not banned in New Zealand.

[Quint the Alligator Snapper]

Note that if you have animist magic you can direct the local wildlife to set up a barrier keeping out law enforcement while you enjoy your game.

Just make sure you don't play for longer than your spell's duration.

[Azza ☠]

Originally posted by Riedy:

Well, banned games aren't exactly drugs. Most people wouldn't even know they aren't allowed. And I don't think Australia cares that much about such petty laws to further enforce them. We have banned games here as well, no one cares if you buy them from another country or digitally. They went after online piracy like once 10 years ago and made people pay for the "damages".

Also, just looked into the Australia thing and it's way too crazy. Why do they ban normal and super popular games like GTA V and Saints Row? But according to the article I've just read...

Originally posted by ABC.net.au:

About 220 computer games [...] have been refused classification since last March.

Material that has been refused classification is illegal to sell, advertise and publicly exhibit in Australia.

So it seems like it's neither illegal to buy nor "hide" them in your house. Just don't display them.

It goes against their babysitting policy.

[Gus the Crocodile]

Originally posted by Riedy:

Also, just looked into the Australia thing and it's way too crazy. Why do they ban normal and super popular games like GTA V and Saints Row?

GTAV isn’t banned.

Saints Row 4 was initially refused classification due to sexual violence and drug use; I think that objection was later reduced to just the drug use. In any case, there’s an Australian version which leaves out a side mission, and that got it accepted.

[crgzero]

Australia has some weird laws, my all time favorite is that its illegal to defend yourself.

https://youtu.be/t5ltfJFkiiA


I think that's the right video.

[Hayter]

lol they banned we happy few for "drug use"

even tho the whole point of the game is against it...

[Gus the Crocodile]

Originally posted by crgzero:

Australia has some weird laws, my all time favorite is that its illegal to defend yourself.

Shame that “it’s illegal to defend yourself” is false then; you’ll have to find a new favourite ‘weird law’.

And maybe a better Youtube channel to watch. I mean really, the first of the links in her description goes to a page explaining that in NSW, you can’t claim self-defence as mitigation if you kill someone only to protect your property or prevent trespass. Which makes perfect sense, because no ♥♥♥♥, that’s quite literally not self-defence.

We do have a problem with violence against women and personally I’d be pretty open to people being able to carry something like pepper spray. But this woman is defending breaking someone’s neck or smashing them over the head with a bat. That anyone finds it “weird” that such acts aren’t just accepted is bizarre to me.