Great article! It is an old line, but "blind freddy" knows that the very nature of games mean that once they are on the street they WILL be available to kids. Ever seen an under age kid smoking or drinking? What makes anyone believe you can restrict violent games once they are out there? So opening up higher impact games means more impact on kids. No brainer!

What is clear is that the industry is only motivated by profits, not by any genuine interest in protecting kids.

As a gamer, I do love playing a good (and sometimes violent) game. But the gaming industry with their profit and selfish motives do not speak for me as I recognize that sometimes the duty to protect children overrides the rights of adults.

I don't really see the issue. You can still very easily get the games, most times for free. It's hard to moderate bit torrent traffic. At the moment the companies are taking the minimum out of the violent games to just slide them in at MA15. They wouldn't have to bother if there was an R18. So, yes, there would be less violent content at 15+. You're wrong. Yes there would also be more available legal violent content at R18 for kids to get their hands on, you're right.

So, the kids who can get someone older to buy and copy a game at R18 are the same kids who can download it for free on the internet now. ie the only difference is parents buying 15+ games for the more supervised kids would have a better idea what it contained and there would be less violence at 15+.

'What Australian parent would want an interactive, repetitious computer game on the market that contained simulated paedophilia?'

Gold star for hyperbole! You should sign up for a gig on ACA. I saw that Salo years ago and I cant remember any paedophilia. Was a bit boring with too much gay sex for me, but not especially shocking.

I'm thinking teenaged boys are generally looking for explosions and gore and sex, I don't see how you could attract them with underaged gay sex in a mainstreme game. The market for such a game would make it commercially unviable. Ralph magazine readers don't like to be confronted with gayness.

Houellebecq said - I don't really see the issue. You can still very easily get the games...

Interesting point, but not that strong an argument. Do we legalize something just because it's happening anyway? Drugs? Domestic violence? Murder?

Fair point about games slipping into the MA15+ category, but isn't this a reason to fix up the classification guidelines restriction first and foremost?

Blind Freddy knows that all these games are already available over the internet. You can have them delivered or just download them. They are not illegal, just unclassified.

The only difference is that they are not available in local shops so no tax is paid, and less Australians are employed.

The Australian Christian lobby are not noted for intelligent debate.

How many violent crimes do we have to see reported on the evening news before we make a decision to limit the amount of violent media content we allow to go on sale in this country?

You really have to wonder why some government ministers are so hell bent on allowing more violent and pornographic games into australia.