Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Amendment (Industry Self-Classification and Other Measures) 2023

✦ Plain-English Summary

# Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Amendment Bill 2023

## What it does
The government is allowing certain companies and organizations to classify their own publications, films, and computer games instead of always sending them to the official Classification Board. It also makes some tweaks to how films in other languages can be distributed through public libraries, and adjusts rules around cultural exemptions for certain content.

## Why it matters
This could speed up how quickly content gets classified and released to the public, since industry bodies won't always need to wait for government approval. However, it relies on companies self-regulating fairly rather than having an independent government body check everything — so the system is only as good as those companies' standards.

## Key details
- **Who's affected**: Film and game publishers, production companies, and potentially streaming services can become "accredited persons" to classify their own content under new rules
- **Public library exemption**: Films in languages other than English can now be distributed more freely through public libraries without full classification
- **Timing**: The law hasn't started yet — it needs a proclamation date, but will automatically begin within 6 months of receiving Royal Assent if no date is set earlier

Official Description

Amends the: Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 to: enable content providers to use accredited classifiers to self-classify film and computer game content; extend the powers of the Classification Board to quality assure industry self-classification decisions, including revocation of those decisions as necessary; enable the Classification Board to publish a list of approved words and phrases to use in consumer advice, along with guidance on their appropriate use; expand classification exemptions to include films in languages other than English distributed through public libraries; broaden the application of conditional cultural exemptions for classifiable content to include routine exhibitions at approved cultural institutions; and enable certain content that has already been classified under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to be deemed as classified for distribution on other platforms, where no substantial changes have been made to the classifiable content; and Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to make consequential amendments.

Full bill PDF →APH page →

Audit History

Introduced

22 June 2023

Last updated on APH

10 Apr 2026

Outcome date

14 Sept 2023

Last checked by Crossbench

yesterday

Full text indexed

yesterday

🗳️

No formal division recorded

This bill passed by voice vote — parliament agreed without calling a formal count. A division is only recorded when a member explicitly requests one.

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