Summary

7.1 Any system that requires mandatory classification of content gives rise to questions about who should be responsible for making classification decisions. In this chapter, the ALRC proposes that some classification decisions now made by the Classification Board (the Board), may instead be made by authorised industry classifiers, subject to review and regulatory oversight.

7.2 The ALRC proposes that the Board should continue to classify:

• feature-length films produced on a commercial basis for cinema release;
• computer games produced on a commercial basis and likely to be MA 15+ or higher;
• content that may be RC;
• content submitted by the Minister, the Regulator or another government agency; and
• content that needs to be classified for the purpose of enforcing classification laws.

7.3 The ALRC proposes that, apart from the media content that must be classified by the Board, all other media content may be classified by authorised industry classifiers, including:

• feature-length films not for cinema release, and television programs (for example, films and television programs on DVD, the internet, and television); and
• computer games likely now to be classified G, PG and M.^[1]