COMPUTER GAMES CLASSIFICATIONS

Mr ODENWALDER (Little Para) (15:49): My question is for the Attorney-General. Can the Attorney-General inform the house of the position the government will take to the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General regarding the introduction of an R18 classification for computer games?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Urban Development, Planning and the City of Adelaide, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Food Marketing) (15:50): I thank the honourable member for the question. There has been widespread consultation occurring at a national level about the introduction of an R18+ classification for games. The SCAG ministers are due to meet in Adelaide in July of this year, at which time we are expecting that there will be some movement toward a national position.

In April of this year, the Hon. Brendan O'Connor, who is the responsible federal minister, made it clear that the commonwealth was examining options, which included proceeding to establish an R18 classification for games irrespective of what the states or territories chose to do. In that context, there has been a decision taken by the government that it will support a new R18 classification for computer games, but, importantly, on the basis that this will increase the protection for children and provide parents with clearer guidance.

It is important for members to understand that some of the MA15+ classification games at present in other countries are classified as R18. So, it will be the case that were there to continue to be an MA15+ classification here a number of games would move out of that classification and into R18.

To make things even clearer and safer for responsible parents, it is our intention, at a state level, to roll the MA15+ classification into R18 as well, so that there will be a clear boundary between what is appropriate for adults and what is appropriate for children. If, indeed, it is the case that the average gamer is a 30-something-year-old fellow sitting at home then they will be able to play these games unimpaired. There may be some additional games that come onto the market that presently are not there, but there will continue to be games which are refused classification altogether.

The member for Bragg asked: where is the bill? The answer is: as soon as the commonwealth has established the framework to make this classification available then we will have a bill, and we will be supporting it. I have to say that we have neither the expertise nor the time to have a whole bunch of people sitting in the Attorney-General's Department playing computer games to do our own classifications.

We are waiting for the commonwealth to move on the issue. We are supporting it in moving on the issue. We are looking forward to it. I would hope that we could have something before the end of the year. I would really like to see that. But I cannot make the commonwealth move at a speed faster than it is able to move.