Perhaps dissected was a little much, but the "Interactive Australia 2007" report comes close, breaking down everything you need to know about the Australian public's gaming habits.

If stats and raw, unadulterated demographics are your thing, hit the jump for the report's highlights, which cover everything from the non-media activities of gamers to what most people do when they finish a game.

- 79% of Australian households have a device for playing computer and video games.

- The average age of Australian gamers is 28 years.

- Interactive games are attracting new players. 41% of gamers are female. 8% are seniors.

- Parents and children are increasingly playing together. 35% of gamers are parents.

- 61% of gamers play for up to an hour at one time.

- Playing computer games does not compete with non-media and outdoor leisure activities. Instead it competes with other media such as TV, film and music.

- Parents in game households say the positive aspects of game play are more than just enjoyment and happiness. 73% say games help their children learn about technology, 68% say games help their children learn maths, 64% say games help children learn to plan.

- 70% of games classified by the OFLC in 2006 were rated G or PG.

- 62% of Australians in game households say the classification of a game has no influence on their buying decision
Broadband penetration decreased steadily with age. Game households were 12% more likely than non-game households to have broadband.

- Playing online games ranks 10th among the list of activities Australians identify as their common uses of the internet. Email, web browsing, banking and paying bills are the top uses.

In a perfect world, this would be the kind of stuff discussed on current affairs shows and talkback radio when the topic of gaming came up. Luke Plunkett

Interactive Australia 2007 [IEEA]