New SA attorney-general denies pro-R18+ stance

When Michael Atkinson announced his decision to stand down as South Australian attorney-general last month, many Aussie gamers found cause to celebrate. A long-standing opponent of the R18+ classification for video games in Australia, Atkinson was the only attorney-general to publicly take a negative stance on the issue, leading many gamers to believe he was the only person standing in the way of an adult classification for games.

With Atkinson gone attention soon turned to his successor, John Rau, who was announced as the new South Australian attorney-general less than a week after Atkinson's departure. Although the new minister had not yet made an official comment on R18+ for games, it was widely reported that his stance was pro-R18+, based on a comment made by Gamers4Croydon president Chris Prior.

Now, John Rau has told GameSpot AU that he has not yet formed a stance on the issue.

"I have no preconceptions about this issue and intend to listen to the arguments. I can neither support nor wisely argue against a position if I am not aware of the relevant factors," he said.

"It is worth noting that ultimately, the decision does not rest with me alone. Any change would require the support of each jurisdiction's attorney-general."

Stay tuned to GameSpot AU for more information on John Rau and the R18+ debate as it comes to hand.

For more on video game classification in Australia, check out GameSpot AU's Aussie Games Classification FAQ feature.