R18+ Bill to be introduced in Parliament next month

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

According to GameSpot, the office of the Federal Minister for Home Affairs, Jason Clare, has confirmed that the bill to introduce an R18+ rating for video games will be tabled when Parliament resumes on February 7th. A spokesperson from Clare’s office told GameSpot:

“Our plans are to introduce the R18+ bill in the first session of parliament this year. If it passes the Lower House, it will then go to the Senate for the same process.”

For the bill to be passed in the lower house, it requires the support of two crossbench MPs (independents Rob Oakeshott, Tony Windsor, Andrew Wilkie, and Bob Katter; and Greens MP Adam Bandt), all of them remaining silent on the issue.

To be passed in the Senate, it must be approved by either the Greens or the Coalition. Shadow Attorney-General had doubts about the rating in the past, while the Greens are showed their support.

If the bill is passed, then Mortal Kombat and Syndicate will be able to get released with an R18+ rating, Left 4 Dead 2 would be uncensored, and a majority of violent games such as The Darkness II will get the ratings they deserve.