The State Government has adopt proposals I introduced to Parliament back in 2003 to prevent perverts using their mobile phones as spy cameras.

Back in December 2003 I introduced amendments to the Listening and Surveillance Devices Act to strengthen the law against surveillance devices such as cameras on mobile phones, but the Rann Government decided not to act on my recommendations.

Again in April 2005 I warned the Government that they were failing to keep pace with the technology now available that allows ‘techno-perverts’ to invade our privacy.

Now the Government has announced it will introduce legislation to protect our privacy against strangers taking photos of us or, more disturbingly, our children.

SA Ministers face hefty fines if they promote their achievements using taxpayer dollars at the next election under legislation I introduced to Parliament last week. 

The Bill follows previous efforts by Nick Xenophon to cut down on Government spin. It proposes Ministers would face personal fines of $100,000 if they authorise the use of public money for inappropriate advertising. 

The legislation states that any advertising material communicated to the public must be “directly related to the Government’s responsibilities. Information should not intentionally promote or be perceived as promoting, party-political interests.”

There has been much comment about Mitsubishi’s decision to close its Adelaide plant next month. How can we best use the site to ensure it creates jobs in the southern suburbs? I have called for a National Centre for Excellence for Solar Panel Technology on the site. The large roof space at Mitsubishi could be used to showcase and implement solar energy, and possibly water harvesting technologies. At the same time, the car parking areas would be an ideal site for a road/rail interchange, taking southern commuters’ cars off South Road and Anzac Highway. To discuss ideas on the future of the Mitsubishi site I have organised a forum on Sunday 16 March at the Marion Cultural Centre, 2-4pm.
The forum will start by inviting community members to have their say on how the site could best be developed. Three experts then will comment on their ideas. They will be authorities in economic development, public transport and planning. Ideas from the forum will be sent to members of the Government and Opposition, and promoted to the media.