South Australian Attorney-General John Rau today delivered some welcoming news for Australian gamers, pledging his support for the Australian Federal Government’s national push to introduce an R18+ classification for games.
"At the moment, children can access a range of MA15+ games that are regarded as inappropriate for children, while adult gamers are prevented from access to many games available in other countries,” commented Rau.
Mr Rau also said that he would abolish the MA15+ classification for South Australia. As a result, the South Australian classification system for games would only include G (General Exhibition), PG (Parental Guidance), M (Mature), and R18+ (Restricted to Adults).
"By abolishing the MA15+ classification, we will create a clear distinction between games that may be suitable for children and those that are suitable only for adults," said Rau. "This model will give parents greater certainty about the appropriateness of games for their children."
This does not mean however that games have a get-into-Australia free card, as Rau also stated that the revised classification system would still have the capacity to refuse classification for any game deemed inappropriate for public consumption.
John Rau will take his new position to the next Standing Committee of Attorney-Generals (SCAG) in the city of Adelaide in July.