Australia’s classification board has once again sparked controversy by refusing to classify the game Halloween: The Game—not for violence, but because using cannabis in-game helps players find Michael Myers. This latest decision reflects a long-standing pattern where Australia’s media watchdogs, operating with a “neurotic” and “paternalistic” approach, block content that links illicit drugs to rewards, even when it’s fictional. Critics like Professor Jane Mills argue this undermines democratic principles by denying adults the right to make informed choices, comparing it to keeping people in the dark rather than trusting them. The debate echoes decades-old battles, such as the prolonged ban on Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salò, now being screened at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas as vital, challenging art. Ultimately, Mills contends that moral panic drives these bans—and that the solution isn’t restriction, but access, so audiences can form their own judgments without elitist gatekeeping.
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