An ABC election analyst believes that the Gamers4Croydon party will not have much of an impact in the upcoming South Australian elections.
Gamers4Croydon is, of course, trying to unseat anti-game Attorney General Michael Atkinson in the Croydon region with its just-announced candidate, Kat Nicholson. ABC’s Antony Green spoke to GameSpot on the subject, opining that the crux of the matter is that not many people over the age of 30 care about the R18+ rating issue:
The best thing they can do at this stage is invest their money in something else. I'm just not convinced people either know or care about this issue, which is why their campaign will have little impact.
Green did acknowledge that, while there might be some discontent in Croydon, any such sentiment would not be enough to unseat Atkinson.
Interestingly, Green believes that, in general, the populace is in favor of suppression:
When push comes to shove, a significant portion of the electorate will reject lifting censorship on this sort of thing because most people tend to be rather pro-censorship as a gut instinct.
Gamers4Croydon head David Doe responded to Green’s insights:
All we can do is continue to raise awareness and have a presence in the electorate. We’ll really need to work hard in the next eight weeks to get our message across and get as many votes as we can.
Thanks Ryan!
Comments
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
Personally, I don't think G4C ever expected to win the campaign, that isn't what this is about, you don't win an entire election based on a single policy, which is something I'm surprised the analyst didn't mention.
It's about pressuring Atkinson, the problem is that Atkinson knows he can get away with censorship because Video Game are not a concern of many voters, it means he gets to play despot in his own little way without losing too many votes. The aim of G4C, as I understand it, is not so much to topple him, as to make him aware that his behaviour is costing him votes. If G4C can get enough votes to show Atkinson that not only is it a vote-centric issue, but a growing one, the Atkinsons own political motivation will do the rest, he will have to soften his position, because this is about his own personal power, not his opinions.
I was under the impression from the offset that this was the goal of the group.
Public speaking would be a big plus here, last thing Atkinson wants is someone walking around asking people if they want the government deciding what they are capable of watching or hearing because it assumes they are too stupid to make up their minds themselves, whilst people are more or less passive towards censorship in Australia, I wouldn't say they are 'pro' censorship, merely that the matter has been repeatedly stifled so people don't understand the problem.
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
I think this is more than just an R18+ rating for games issue, this is all about how us Australians have been tricked for believing in a free country when in reality all the change this country needs will be halted because of just a few people in power who don't want change.
Most politicians believe that homosexuals need to be able to have the same freedoms of speech and expression to be able to get married and for the country to recognise their loving relationship in Australia as a married couple.
But because of ministers needing to all agree on this issue, if there is just 1 person in the select groups of politicians who does not want homosexuals to be married, then this presents a fact that Australia is not willing to change with what the majority of people want, and ALSO, this means that Australia is NOT a free country and we as Australians should be in uproar and bash down the government house to win back our freedoms of speech and change the laws so change does not have to come from an 100% yes vote and instead be a 50% vote like everything else that forms government.
If this was about something most Australians cared about, this country would be having their government houses burnt down and rioted,
But because we are just talking about Videogames, it seems that nobody above the age of 30 really cares... so what?
All that means is that those under 30 today will still know about this in 10 or 20 years time and therefore this changes into those who are under 50 and then under 70, change will come and even though we have to go though insane lies and fear mongering by the pathetic politicians that continue to take away our freedoms of speech, as long as this campaign lets people realize that the Australian Democracy is in reality a fake and final fantasy... (see what I did there?) ... change will eventually come.
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
And now, Mr. Atkinson´s reaction:
A sadly note for free speech, indeed.
My DeviantArt Page (aka DeviantCensorship): http://www.darkknightstrikes.deviantart.com
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
When push comes to shove, a significant portion of the electorate will reject lifting censorship on this sort of thing because most people tend to be rather pro-censorship as a gut instinct.
Am I the only one who finds that thought incredibly scary?
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
Speaking as a freedom-loving individual, that is extremely frightening if true.
"That's not ironic. That's justice."
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
In times of fear and social change, it generally is true.
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
So essentially all the time.
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
in that case might as well look forward to Australia's new Prime Chancellor. Strength through Unity, Unity through Faith!
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
It's not the point if they can win or not the point is brining it up.....
Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy! CP/IP laws should not effect the daily life of common people! http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
Copyright infringement is nothing more than civil disobedience to a bad set of laws. Let's renegotiate them.
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http://zippydsm.deviantart.com/
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
Mr. Green: "Just give up and let your freedoms be taken away."
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
As bad as it would be for them to lose, to just go silent on the issue would be even worse.
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
I was under the impression that they weren't actually expecting to win, but were mostly using this as a platform to spread awareness.
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
If i recall the best goal in the upcoming election is not to unseat Atkinson, but to earn the 1% of the vote they need to get a seat in the gov't... So they are not aiming to beat Atkinson, just to get their foot in the door...
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
Nice to see some forward thinking types.
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
Was jsut sayign that giving up entirely, as some want them to do, would be worse than defeat.
Re: Expert Gives Gamers4Croydon Little Chance vs. Atkinson
Agreed 100%
http://www.magicinkgaming.com/