More than 55,000 R18+ submissions received

Australians, it seems, are more than a little interested in the issue of video game classification. Figures released yesterday by the Federal Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O'Connor show that more than 55,000 submissions were received into the recently completed public submission process on whether Australia should introduce an R18+ rating for games, with the Minister stating that the large response rate indicated a "high level of interest in this issue in the Australian community."

The last time Australia's federal government revealed the response rate into the public consultation process back at the start of February, only 6,000 had been received. Out of that first batch, close to 1,100 responses had been analysed, with a whopping 99 percent supporting the introduction of an R18+ rating.

O'Connor said the Federal Attorney General's Department would now prepare a report on the consultation for the Standing Committee of Attorneys General (SCAG), a group made up of all of Australia's various Federal, State, and Territory AGs. The introduction of an R18+ rating needs the unanimous approval of all SCAG members, with the next SCAG meeting due in April this year.

"It is good to see that this public consultation has generated so much interest," Mr O’Connor said. "The submissions received in this consultation process will assist the Commonwealth and other censorship ministers' consideration about whether an adult classification for computer games should be introduced."

The high number of responses follows a concerted campaign by video game activists around the nation to drum up interest in the debate. Independent advocacy group Grow Up Australia's partnership with retailer EB Games netted more than 16,000 responses, with an EB Games spokesperson saying the company solicited a further 30,000 submissions.

Stay tuned to GameSpot AU for more information on the public consultation process. Meanwhile, check out GameSpot AU's Aussie Games Classification FAQ feature.