Award-winning memoir Gender Queer will remain on bookshelves as a review of its age restriction is postponed indefinitely.
The Classifications Review Board confirmed on Thursday that a second review into the controversial graphic novel has been delayed due to a large number of community submissions.
"Due to the volume of submissions received, the convenor of the Classifications Review Board has determined that the review is sufficiently complex that it can not be concluded by 22 June," a spokesman for the board told AAP.
Gender Queer: A Memoir is the first literary work in ten years to be referred to the Classification Board for review.
Maia Kobabe's illustrated memoir was initially classified as "unrestricted" by the Classifications Board in April with advice that it was not recommended for readers under 15 years of age.
"The Board noted that some content within this autobiographical text may offend some sections of the adult community and may not be suitable for younger readers," Director of the Classification Board, Fiona Jolly said in a statement.
Despite this decision, conservative commentator Bernard Gaynor has lobbied for a total ban of the book.
"Gender Queer promotes and depicts paedophilia. Under existing interpretations of Australian law, the only option is for this book to be refused classification," he said.
"This book is not appropriate for anyone, let alone 15 year old children."
Gender Queer is banned across conservative parts of the United States.
The memoir joins the ranks of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, and Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, and Dave Pilkey's Captain Underpants series, earning the American Library Association's title of Most Challenged Book of 2022.
The Classifications Board will hand down a final decision later in the year.
