Erasing the problem: Graffiti fighters councillor Steve Beardon and councillor Wayne Smith took up a successful campaign to ban a video game promoting graffiti in Australia.By Alison Noonan
TWO Casey councillors believe their successful campaign to ban a video game promoting graffiti has set a precedent for the reclassification of other titles in Australia.
Cr Beardon and Cr Smith this week praised a recent decision by the Federal Government’s Classification Review Board to refuse classification of controversial computer game Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure.
The board claimed the game, which rewards players for tagging public property while evading police and other graffiti gangs, might promote or incite a crime.
A computer game that is refused classification cannot be sold, hired or imported into the country.
Australia is the only country in the world to ban the game.
Cr Beardon, co-founder of RAGE (Residents Against Graffiti Everywhere), said he and Cr Smith launched the Victorian campaign to ban the Atari game last year.
He claimed the game incited criminal behaviour and violence toward authority.
“We had the support of many politicians here and overseas, including the mayor of New York (Michael Bloomberg).
“RAGE wrote to Atari, the Australian Federal Government and lobbied through the press to harness community awareness and support for the banning of this game.
“As this game was modelled on graffiti culture and even designed by ex-graffitists, it was imperative that it be banned so as not to further give street cred to the illegal activity,” he said.
Cr Smith said the ban was a victory for the protection of young people from games glorifying graffiti and anti-social behaviour.
“This game was rewarding criminal activity and sending a message to kids that it was OK to commit illegal acts.
“I think this win will set a precedent for the banning of other games that promote illegal activities.
“It is significant that Casey played a part in an international campaign,” he said.
The video game ban comes in the wake of threats made against Cr Beardon by graffitists who last week warned of pay back for his anti-graffiti stance.
Vandals have threatened to paint Cr Beardon’s face across Melbourne and published messages of hate on a website promoting graffiti.
“I have received plenty of threatening comments over the years and it’s never stopped me before.
“I certainly won’t be backing down. Why should I? I would be conceding defeat if I stopped campaigning,” he said.
The matter is being investigated by police.
