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I don't know if a voluntary system would give us anything different here, the problem is that the lack of a rating within the codified guidelines result in a title being illegal to buy locally or import.

According to the code by which these classifications are made:
The Code
Under the Code, classification decisions are to give effect, as far as possible, to the following principles:
(a) adults should be able to read, hear and see what they want;
(b) minors should be protected from material likely to harm or disturb them;
(c) everyone should be protected from exposure to unsolicited material that they find offensive;
(d) the need to take account of community concerns about:
(i) depictions that condone or incite violence, particularly sexual violence; and
(ii) the portrayal of persons in a demeaning manner.

Look at A there and tell me how not allowing me (a 30 year old) to legally acquire something like Mortal Kombat or Left for Dead 2 is abiding by their own guidelines.

The X18+ classification means that the film can only be legally sold or hired in the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory from premises licensed to sell X18+ videotapes and DVDs. Only people aged 18 years and over are able to buy and hire such films from these premises.

So only the people in the ACT (where the Federal Parliament resides) and the northern territory, which only has a population of roughly 230,000 (to put that into perspective, Victoria's capital Melbourne has around 4million people). So the only people who can legally purchase or hire X18+ material are either Federal Politicians or a bunch of people in outback australia who probably live too far from a video store anyway. Go figure!

The X18+ classification means that the film can only be legally sold or hired in the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory from premises licensed to sell X18+ videotapes and DVDs. Only people aged 18 years and over are able to buy and hire such films from these premises.

So only the people in the ACT (where the Federal Parliament resides) and the northern territory, which only has a population of roughly 230,000 (to put that into perspective, Victoria's capital Melbourne has around 4million people). So the only people who can legally purchase or hire X18+ material are either Federal Politicians or a bunch of people in outback australia who probably live too far from a video store anyway. Go figure!

You have a serious case of confirmation bias.

I, like many [weasel words] Australians were interested in many of the well known games that were refused classification.

Here's a few RC games for a start, many of which were commonly played here in Australia despite being banned. It just meant people were unable to BUY them here, which is absurd.

Note that many of those games are R18+ simply for violence, or drug references. If this is okay in film, then why should it be banned from games?

Your opinion does not mirror the everyone in the country, and it's no reason to stop the sale of games such as these. You're free to not buy them and you'd be unaffected.

This Link Seems to list all of the "liberties" you haven't been able to choose for yourself. From my side of the pond, this looks like a censorship black list, but that could just be me.

As a fellow Aussie I find most of your posts insightfull and informative. However I feel compeled to point out the phrase "which it exercises often" only applies for certain definitions of often.

I think the classification board does a great job but I disagree with outright bans on philosophical grounds. The current push for filtering is a storm in a tea-cup and is driven by the governments need to placate senator Fielding. After KRuddy has got what he wants out of Fielding the mandatory filtering legislation will fail to pass the senate and the political fallout will land directly on Fielding at the next election.

Australia-like bans will be coming to a USA and Canada near you.

36 were outright banned

6 of those were modified and resubmitted, gaining a M15+ rating.

2 were initially released for sale and later banned

2 were never actually submitted to the OFLC for classification

It is also interesting to note that good majority of those games that were outright banned came from police raids in 1995 and 1996, with most games being stock standard puzzle games that reward you with a pic of a naked woman for completing each stage. Compare that to, say, God of War, which was passed as M15+ despite containing the following:

The nudity: Every woman in the game has breasts showing. At the end of the first level there are two females laying on a bed having sex (breasts are showing) when the cut scene ends they are still laying there.

The Sex: If you hop onto the bed you are able to have sex with them by pressing "O". The camera zooms away, but I have confirmed info that this is how the game is all around the world. You press various buttons, such as Square, Triangle and X to control the sex. If you succeed, you get orbs that increase you're magic powers.