The new legislation debated in Parliament this week would see classification for video games brought into line with existing legislation for films and magazines.
Mr Buchholz said the creation of an R18+ classification would give consumers clear information, a clear choice, and more confidence in the games they buy for themselves and for their kids.
The current classification regime is letting us down badly, Mr Buchholz said.
Currently, the highest legally available classification category for games is MA15+. In theory, games which are considered unsuitable for persons under the age of 15 are Refused Classification, however Mr Buchholz said the reality is not so clear cut.
A very small number of adult themed games are Refused Classification. The majority are simply released within the MA15 category. Some are edited to earn their lower rating. Most arent.
As a result, games that would merit an R18+ classification in most Western countries, are made available to Australian kids as young as 15.
So not only does the current system fail to allow adults the right to choose, it also falls short on protecting minors from potentially harmful or disturbing content.
If youre like me, you dont know a great deal about video games, so youd like to be able to tell whether the game youre buying for your child is suitable. A more appropriate classification system will make it easier to make that decision.
It is obvious that certain games are intended for adults. It is only common sense to make sure they are restricted to adults.
