Ron Curry, CEO of the Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (iGEA), says that today’s outcome is a positive step for the video games industry which has been awaiting an R18+ classification for almost a decade.

“An in-principle agreement for an R18+ classification is a big step towards a robust ratings system that best equips parents to manage their children’s access to appropriate content, as well as enables adults the ability to play games of their choice within the confines of the law,” said Curry.

With eight out of the nine Attorneys-General coming to an in-principle agreement, Curry says he looks forward to discussing the R18+ classification issue with NSW’s Attorney-General Greg Smith who abstained from making a vote today and will consider the issue out of session.

“It is entirely reasonable that each Minister should have taken the necessary time to fully understand the underlying issues and to grasp why Australia so desperately needs an adult classification for video game, and we look forward to entering into a dialogue with NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith.”

“This is the first step in the legislative process and until we can review the final guidelines, we can’t fully assess the impact of an adult rating for games in Australia.  We can be confident however that all content will be subjected to stringent classification guidelines and games which exceed an R18+ classification rating will still be refused classification and banned in Australia,” said Curry.

“With an adult rating finally on the horizon, we can now better focus our energy on more relevant discussions around content classification as entertainment formats and content continue to blur.”

The positive news comes off the back of a government-commissioned survey released by Minister of Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor in December last year which found 80 per cent of the 2,226 respondents interviewed support an R18+ rating and that 91 per cent of adults would clearly know that game classified R18+ would be unsuitable for children.

To view the guidelines click here.

To complete the online survey and have your say, click here

The draft guidelines have been distributed to State and Territory Classification Ministers to assist in their decision making ahead of a meeting in July to decide whether to create the new rating.

“The Gillard Government wants to provide better guidance for parents and remove unsuitable material from children and teenagers,” Mr O’Connor said.

“The introduction of an R18+ classification will help achieve that and will also bring Australia into line with comparable nations,” he said.

“This issue has been on the table for many years, without the necessary progress to make a change.

“We’ve recently seen several states publicly express their support for an adult only rating for games and I’m keen to reach a unanimous decision at the July meeting,” Mr O’Connor said.

Under present legislation, an R18+ classification for computer games can only be introduced with the agreement of all Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers.

“The draft guidelines make it clear that sexually explicit games or games with very frequent, strong and realistic violence will not be allowed in the MA15+ category,” Mr O’Connor said.

The draft guidelines:
• provide safeguards to restrict the availability of material that is unsuitable for children
• address the difference between films and computer games, especially in terms of interactivity
• ensure that the Refused Classification category is retained.

A national telephone survey by Galaxy last year showed that 80% of the 2,226 people contacted said they support the introduction of an R18+ classification for games.

Those results built on public consultation in which 98% of about 57,000 people supported the introduction of an adult classification.

The draft guidelines were first distributed to Classification Ministers at the last Standing Council of Attorneys General meeting in March, and are now being distributed publicly to facilitate further community feedback.

The draft guidelines are available at www.classification.gov.au. Public feedback will be accepted online until Wednesday 22 June 2011.

Media Adviser: Jayne Stinson 0458 547 512 jayne.stinson@ag.gov.au

Minister For Home Affairs And Justice – The Hon Brendan O’Connor MP

Saturday, 5 March 2011

Minister for Justice Brendan O’Connor says July will be the time for Classification Ministers to decide on introducing an R 18+ classification for computer games.

“Australians who’ve been following this debate will know that this issue has been on the table for many years, without the necessary progress to make a change,” Mr O’Connor said.

“Last year the Gillard Government declared its position and it’s time for all States and Territories to declare their hand on this issue.

“The introduction of an R18+ classification for computer games will provide better advice to parents and help prevent children and teenagers from accessing unsuitable material,” he said.

At today’s Standing Committee of Attorneys-General in Wellington, draft guidelines for the classification of computer games were tabled. The guidelines were requested at the last SCAG meeting in December.

The draft guidelines:

•             provide appropriate safeguards to restrict the availability of material that’s unsuitable for children

•             address the difference in nature between films and computer games, especially in terms of interactivity

•             ensure that the Refused Classification category is retained.

The introduction of an R 18+ classification must be agreed by all State and Territory Classification Ministers. No final decision could be made at today’s meeting as the New South Wales government is in pre-election caretaker mode.

“I anticipate that my State and Territory counterparts will further consider the draft guidelines and seek their Governments’ position on an R 18+ classification before the next meeting in July,” Mr O’Connor said.

“When making their decision, I urge State and Territory Governments to consider the value of an adults only rating in helping to protect children from unsuitable content as well as the strong public support for this move,” Mr O’Connor said.

A national telephone survey conducted by Galaxy last year showed that 80% of the 2,226 people contacted said they supported the introduction of an adults only category for games.

The next SCAG meeting will be held on 21 and 22 July in Adelaide.

For more information about classification visit www.classification.gov.au.

Media Adviser: Jayne Stinson 0458 547 512 jayne.stinson@ag.gov.au

As with many other forms of media, there is a demand and place for an adult themed narrative. We trust adults with this material in other media forms, yet deny them similar access simply because it’s a ‘game’.  We would not accept the  argument that because it’s “unsuitable for a minor to see or play” that it should therefore be banned in any other media form, so why video games?

When a highly anticipated game receives an RC we can expect two things to happen; interest in obtaining the game will actually increase and people will still get the game either through importing (ordering online) or pirating; the latter an encouragement to commit a crime in order to perpetuate the crime of accessing illegal content. Ironically, the game is then widely available in Australia without any identifiable classification markings. How is this informing parents and protecting children?

It is the industry position that an adult classification sends a clear message to the public that the content is not suitable for minors and is the most effective means of guiding access to mature content. Refusing classification of titles that meet adult rating criteria in every other Western country in our digital age is ineffective and naïve.

It is also important to highlight that content that exceeds the guidelines of an R18+ classification, should it be introduced, would still be refused classification and banned in Australia.