The Australian Communications and Media Authority has recently become aware of Australian television networks splitting movies into two parts – rated separately as M and MA+15 – to work around a particular quirk in the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice and Broadcasting Services Act of Australia.
Under the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice, TV programs classified as M are allowed to air from 7:30 PM and programs classified as MA 15+ from 8:30 PM. However, movies fall under the Broadcasting Services Act, which allows M classifications to air from 8:30 PM, and MA 15 + to air from 9:00 PM.
Casino Royale (2006) is one such film that has been effected by this particular quirk in legislation. To comply with regulations, the film, rated M, was aired on Channel Nine in two separate parts, rated PG / M, with brief credits running at the end of Part 1 and at the start of Part 2.
There are currently plans to remove this particular anomaly by the Communications Legislation Amendment (Deregulation and Other Measures) Bill 2018, which was presented to the Australian Parliament in 2017. The Bill has yet to be passed.
