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An announcement from the Minister for Home Affairs Jason Clare this evening noted that the legislation passed in the Senate with bipartisan support and without amendment.
"The R 18+ category will inform consumers, parents and retailers about which games are not suitable for minors to play, and will prevent minors from purchasing unsuitable material," said Minister Clare.
"The reforms also mean that adults are able to choose what games they play within the bounds of the law."
"The passage of this bill will no doubt be welcomed by adult gamers all across Australia," Shadow Attorney-General Senator Brandis told the Senate. "The industry has been waiting for this change for some time."
In the past, games which otherwise might have pushed the limits of this classification were either refused classification (and thus effectively banned) or were shoe-horned into the lesser R15+ category either by bending the categorisation rules or by editing of the content.
Neither was a satisfactory solution as 'banned' games were simply ordered over the Internet or games developers refused to create a version purely for the Australian market.
Following the passage of the Federal legislation, matching laws will be passed in all states and territories to ensure a common treatment of such games throughout Australia.
