VIDEO games that have been refused classification in Australia could remain banned despite the federal government backing a new adults-only rating.

Home Affairs and Justice Minister Brendan O'Connor announced today that he supports creating an R18+ classification for the multi-billion-dollar industry and will push forward with plans to introduce the change this week.

Australia's most restrictive classification for video games is currently MA15+ and those classified as R18+ overseas are often banned.

But in a move likely to please parents but frustrate video game lobbyists, Mr O'Connor said none of the half-dozen games already banned are likely to receive the new R18+ rating.

Instead, the aim is to push more video games out of the youth category and into the new adult classification.

"I am not contemplating placing those RC (refused classification) games into an R18+ classification," he told reporters in Melbourne.

"I'm more concerned about having the MA15+ games reviewed to see whether in fact they should be in an adult only classification."

Mr O'Connor said the lack of an adult rating in Australia has resulted in many violent games sneaking in under the MA15+ banner.

Cracking down on classifications will help parents make the right decisions about what games their children play, he said.

"I am concerned that there are dozens and dozens of games in this country that are currently accessible to 15-year-olds that are not accessible to minors in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe," he said.

The average age of a video game player is 30, he said.

But when asked if he felt such an audience would be disappointed that games refused under the current classification would still be banned, the minister said his priority had to be stopping children with "very impressionable minds" from having access to adult themes, gratuitous sex and violence.

The new rating could still be stymied if any one of the states and territories decides to oppose it during Friday's meeting of the standing committee of attorneys-general.

South Australia has already voiced its opposition to relaxing the ban on R-rated computer games.

It is unknown how Victoria's new Liberal-Nationals coalition government will respond to the proposal and Mr O'Connor has yet to meet with the state's new attorney-general.

He pointed out, however, that the weight of community opinion is behind introducing an adults-only rating.

A recent telephone survey showed 80 per cent of the 2226 people involved said they supported such a move, and the support was strong across the country.

Some 91 per cent said adults knew that a game classified R18+ was clearly unsuitable for children.

The survey results add to the public consultation the government ran earlier.

The attorney-general's department received some 60,000 submissions during the consultation period, with approximately 98 per cent in support of an adult classification.