Australia is one of the few developed nations with no R18+, or adults-only, category for computer games, which means many violent games are ‘‘shoehorned’’ into the MA15+ category and made available to children. Some games, such as Grand Theft Auto, are censored in Australia but are still rated for 15-year-olds despite containing prostitution and drug-use themes.

In February, the Classification Board banned from Australia the latest version of the popular and long-running Mortal Kombat franchise — because it decided its realistic depictions of ‘‘brutal forms of slaughter’’ made it unsuitable for an MA15+ rating — angering thousands of players and raising the ire of the $1.7billion computer game industry.

Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Connor has told the states and territories that the July meeting of attorneys-general is D-Day for a decision on the reform, which has sat on their agenda for almost a decade. The reform will create an R18+ category for games, providing, Mr O’Connor says, adult gamers with more choice and better parental advice about the suitability of games.

Mr Clark told Fairfax that he welcomed one impact of the reform — that some games classified MA15+ would move to the higher rating of R18+. But the move, he said, would also mean allowing games to be sold in Australia that are banned because of their high levels of violence.

‘‘[This] needs careful scrutiny and public debate,’’ he said. ‘‘The Coalition government is very concerned that the draft guidelines currently being proposed by the Commonwealth would legalise games with high levels of graphic, frequent and gratuitous violence, including violence against civilians and police.’’