NZ First after ban on violent games

ONE NEWS: New Zealand First is calling for a ban on violent video games as part of a new anti-gang policy.

They want R16 and R18 games off the shelf in a bid to stop them influencing young people.

The party says the games encourage young people to be more violent and join gangs.

"Well if you are going to fill your children in this country with pulp and with mush, why are you surprised the way they react and the way they head off into criminal behaviour," says New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.

What do the young people who play these games think?

"I was playing one last week, my mum thinks it's quite violent but I actually don't do those actions, I just take it as a game," says one player.

Some of the footage that ONE News saw was so violent, it was not able to be broadcast.

But experts say the violent on screen images do not translate to real life.

"It would be a very big leap to imply that violent video games are going to inflate gang membership," says John Fenaughty from Netsafe.

The Chief Sensor, who rates these games, says putting R16 and R18 labels on them should make them off-limits to children anyway.

But it's an older audience that appreciates Winston Peters' anti-gang policy.

He is also planning to make gangs illegal, boost drug and alcohol rehab for ex-gang members and to get young people involved in military style training - instead of these games.