I recall the example from SP: Stick of Truth where the alien probing sequence was removed and replaced with a crying koala. I can list more titles that are not available from that region: Hotline Miami, Manhunt, Sludge Life & etc. but there are games that faced censorship: Saints Row IV, Fallout 3, Postal 2, Outlast 2. I notice that it tends to happen with games depicting content involving violence, drugs or even sex (but let that fly in movies and TV).
Simple solution: DO NOT use an AU account on Steam, instead consider a region change or an alt account set overseas where you can access “banned” games that aren’t not sold in Australia (as their ratings board has no jurisdiction over foreign copies). Even if you have a foreign physical release: those are classified in their country of origin, isn’t that enough? A Japanese (CERO) D 17+ rating is similar to a MA15+ - R18+ classification.
You’re definitely right, although I grew up in Sweden and not Australia. But the same general cultural and societal trends applied. Growing up in the 90s/early 00s video games were still absolutely stigmatised and associated with nerds and social pariahs. It’s not that there weren’t games or gamers, but they were not really socially acceptable outside of the nerd subcultures and subgroups.
It wasn’t anything at all like how it is today, where everyone and their aunt is playing games and every kid from every social strata is playing some kind of video game.