SOUTH Australia will support a national push for an R18+ rating for video games - at the expense of the current MA15+ rating that some games are sold under.

Attorney-General John Rau yesterday said the proposed measures would give parents a clear guidance of the content of the games and provide further protection for children.

"The fact is many games that are now MA15+ in Australia are sold in other countries as R18 games," he said.

"The current scheme is very bad for the parents who are trying to do the very best thing for their children."

Under the proposed system games currently sold with an MA15+ rating such as Grand Theft Auto 4 and Call of Duty will be sold as R18+ and sale will be restricted to those over 18 years of age.

"By abolishing the MA15+ classification, we will create a clear distinction between games that may be suitable for children and those that are suitable only for adults," he said.

"I will push for the South Australian position on MA15+ games to be adopted nationally, but if it isn't, I'm prepared to go it alone."

Acting Liberal Justice spokeswoman Vickie Chapman said the reforms were a long time coming.

"It's very important we get on to the proper regulation of this material to protect our children," she said.

"This matter should have been dealt with two years ago before the election."

Ms Chapman said yesterday's announcement was a repeat of Labor's position announced in December and that nothing had changed.

"We should have moved to better protect children from inappropriate material and allow appropriate access to games years ago, instead the Premier failed to show strong leadership and did nothing," she said.

"This is simply an attempt to divert attention from the raft of problems which are crippling the Labor Government."