Michelle Roberts
WA State
Member of the Legislative Assembly
Labor Party
Electorate: Midland
In August 2004, as the WA Minister for Justice she applied to the Attorney-General to have to MA15+ rating of the game MANHUNT reviewed. This led to the Review Board banning it.
This is her statement issued on September 29th 2004.
WA Minister instigates national ban on violent computer game
A controversial and violent computer game has now been banned nationally
following concerns raised by Justice Minister Michelle Roberts.
Mrs Roberts said the national Classification Review Board had ruled that
the game Manhunt could not be legally sold, hired, advertised or exhibited
anywhere in Australia.
The Minister said it was the responsibility of Western Australian
retailers to remove all games from the shelves immediately.
"This decision is a big win for the Australian community," she
said.
"There is no need for a game which is so disturbingly violent to be
available.
"As a mother of teenage children, I was appalled at the sickening
level of violence contained in the game and that its rating made it
accessible to many young people."
Mrs Roberts wrote to Attorney General Philip Ruddock last month raising
concerns about the classification of the computer game.
The Minister asked for the MA15+ classification to be reviewed
immediately.
"I urge anybody who has a copy of this game to dispose of this game
at once, rather than face any penalties," she said.
"Anybody found in possession faces a fine of up to $10,000."
