New Computer Game Guidelines finalised

12 September 2012

Minister for Home Affairs and Justice Jason Clare announced today that new Guidelines for the Classification of Computer Games have been released. The Guidelines will come into effect on 1 January 2013.

Mr Clare said State and Territory Ministers with responsibility for classification matters have agreed to the revised Guidelines after extensive consultation.

The creation of an R 18+ category for computer games will bring the classification categories for computer games into line with existing categories used to classify films. It also makes the Australian classification regime more consistent with international standards.

"These are important reforms over 10 years in the making," Mr Clare said.

The introduction of an R18+ category for computer games has been the subject of extensive public consultation over recent years.

The Attorney-General's Department released a discussion paper on the introduction of an R 18+ classification category for computer games in 2009.

It received 58,437 submissions in response with 98 per cent of these supporting the introduction of an R 18+ category.

States and Territories are in the process of passing their own complementary legislation to ensure that R 18+ computer games are appropriately regulated.

The ACT has already passed its Bill and NSW and Tasmania’s legislation has also been introduced into their parliaments.

Copies of the new guidelines are available at www.classification.gov.au

Media contact: Ryan Hamilton - 02 6277 7290