R18+ rating for video games good to go

David Swan
Monday, 06 December 2010 16:00

Your IT - Entertainment

The long push for a R18+ rating for videogames in Australia is almost complete, with South Australia's Attorney-General pledging support for the revised system.

 

 

The ABC Online has reported that South Australia's new Attorney-General John Rau has said he's warm to changing the current game rating system.

In the past there has been much controversy and debate surrounding the issue, after games like Left 4 Dead 2 and GTA IV were either banned or heavily censored upon local release.

Currently the law stipulates that the maximum rating a game can carry is MA15+, in contrast to the R18+ rating for films.

The country's Attorneys-General will meet on Friday to discuss the issue, as any new rating would have to be met with approval from each State.

Mr Rau dedicated his support for the initiative if there are measures in place to protect children from access to the games.

"There's no doubt that these things are available either by mail order or through downloads off the internet, so it's not as if there's a complete impossibility of getting hold of these things anyway," he said.

"The issue is about what's offered for retail sale and who gets access to what."

Mr Rau re-iterated that the motion will need the support of the other Attorneys-General, not just himself.

"Everyone has to be on the same page so I'm not the only Attorney there and I'm not sure the WA Attorney for example has made his position clear," he said.

"The second thing is that it can't just simply from my point of view be introduced R18 and leave everything as it is because that would not in my view offer enough protection and security.'