The Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor has commented again on Australia’s lack of an R18+ rating for games, claiming that “if there is not a consensus around this issue, the Commonwealth will certainly be considering other options.”
It seems like if the Attorneys-General do not come to a consensus on the issue during July’s SCAG meeting, the Federal Government will most likely explore other issues.
“I’m not going to let this matter end because it’s too important to allow one or two jurisdictions to stop the majority of jurisdictions in this country moving on an important reform,” claimed O’Connor.
Although he was keen to emphasize that his preference, of course, would be a “consensus around the table in July”.
This is an interesting move from O’Connor, and one that could suggest a couple of things – firstly it appears that the Federal Government are completely willing to pull rank on this issue if State representative don’t fall in line and, secondly, it could be that a couple of Attorneys-General are against an R18+ rating and this is a direct attempt to reel them in.
Regardless – it’s clear that the federal government is now acutely aware of how big an issue this is for gamers and the wider public, and that can only be a good thing for those in favour of an adult rating for games in Australia.
All signs point to a positive result in July.
Government threatens R-rating games showdown [ABC News]
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