Australian Classification Board

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1994–2005

The Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) was formed in 1994, and oversaw the Classification Board.

2005–present

In 2005 the OFLC was dissolved and supervision of the Classification Board transferred to the Attorney-General's Department.

Film Classifications

1938–1947

1947–1970

By mid-1947 the Not Suitable for General Exhibition certification would change its name to Not Suitable for Children.

1971–1984

The Australian Classification Board was created in 1970 to classify or rate all films that came into Australia. In the early years of the system, beginning in November 1971 there were only four certificates:

G - For General Exhibition

NRC - Not Recommended for Children Under 12

M - For Mature Audiences

R - Restricted Exhibition - Not available to persons under 18 years

1984–1989

In early 1984, the NRC certificate was replaced with the PG certificate and the X certificate was introduced for sexually explicit content and briefly for violent content that would otherwise be refused classification.

G - For General Exhibition

PG - Parental Guidance Recommended

M - For Mature Audiences

R - Restricted Exhibition - Not available to persons under 18 years

X - Restricted Exhibition - contains sexually explicit content

1989–2005

In 1989, the 15+ marking was added next to the M certificate, while the 18+ marking has been added to both R and X certificates. The MA 15+ rating was introduced in 1993, to flag content that was too strong for the M classification, but not so much so that the content should be restricted only to persons over the age of 18.

E - Exempt from classification

G - For general exhibition

PG - Parental guidance recommended for persons under 15 years

M - Recommended for mature audiences 15 years and over

MA - Persons under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian

R - Restricted to adults 18 years and over

X - Restricted to adults 18 years and over - contains sexually explicit content

2005–present

The current coloured classification markings for films and computer games were introduced in May 2005. There are legal age restrictions for the ratings of MA 15+ and R 18+. The other classification categories (G, PG and M) are merely recommendations and they are not submitted to legal age restrictions. RC (banned) material cannot be sold, hired or distributed to any persons. A film or video game's context is crucial in determining whether a classifiable element is justified by the story-line or themes.

E - Exempt from classification

G - General

PG - Parental guidance recommended

M - Recommended for mature audiences

MA - Not suitable for people under 15. Under 15s must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian

R - Restricted to 18 and over

X - Restricted to 18 and over - contains sexually explicit content