Federal Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O'Connor has been a vocal advocate for an R18+ rating for games in Australia, citing widespread community desire and a need to better protect children as his key reasons for supporting the new rating. Now, O'Connor has added another reason--R18+ will be a jobs creator.

　　Talking to students at the University of Ballarat, O'Connor said the adult classification could secure more jobs in the future in the local game industry and help graduates seeking a path in game development.

　　"An adult classification for video games will provide better guidance for parents and remove unsuitable material from children and teenagers," O'Connor told the students. "It will also create further opportunities for Australian computer game developers, distributors and retailers. We want to create opportunities for our young people in diverse parts of the economy."

　　Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O'Connor.

　　O'Connor went on to voice his support for the local game development industry, saying R18+ for games would help Aussie game developers create games for both the local and international markets without the need to edit content. He urged state and territory attorneys-general to think about this ahead of July's SCAG meeting, where a decision on R18+ will be made.

　　"The games industry is an increasingly important part of our creative economy that we should support. When making their decision, I urge state and territory governments to consider the value of the computer gaming industry to Australia's economy, as well as the need to provide better guidance for parents and greater protection for young game players."

　　For more on classification, visit GameSpot AU's previous coverage.