Australian Classification Board
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1970 (as Australian Classification Board) |
| Jurisdiction | Commonwealth of Australia |
| Minister responsible | |
| Parent agency | Attorney-General's Department (current parent agency), OFLC (Original parent agency), Australian Classification Review Board (sister agency) |
| Website | www |
The Classification Board (CB) is an Australian statutory classification and censorship body formed by the Australian Government which classifies films, video games and publications for exhibition, sale or hire in Australia since its establishment in 1995. The Classification Board was originally incorporated in the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) which was dissolved in 2006.
The Classification Board does not directly censor material by ordering cuts or changes. However, they are able to effectively censor media by refusing classification and making the media illegal for hire, exhibition and importation to Australia. The Attorney-General's Department now provides administrative support to the Board and decisions made by the Board may be reviewed by the Australian Classification Review Board, which is a part of the Attorney-General's Department.
The system has several levels of "restricted" categories, prohibiting sale, exhibition or use of some materials to those who are under a prescribed age. In 2005, video and computer games became subject to the same classification ratings and restrictions as films (with the exception of the R18+ and X18+ ratings), in response to confusion by parents. Despite a line in the National Classification Code stating that "adults should be able to read, hear and see what they want", the adult R18+ classification did not exist for video games in Australia until 1 January 2013.
In 1970, a newly formed classification system and body named the Australian Classification Board was created to rate all films (and later in 1994, video games) that came into Australia. In the early years of the system, there were four ratings:
In 1993, the CB introduced the MA15+ rating as a means of flagging content that was too strong for the M classification, but not so much so that the content should be restricted only to persons over the age of 18. The introduction of the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) occurred in 1994. The OFLC oversaw the Classification Board. In 2005 the OFLC was dissolved and the Classification Board was handed over to the Attorney-General's Department. The current coloured classification markings for films and computer games were introduced in May 2005.
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