Owner: Political Blog of Kris Hanna MP | Independent MP for Mitchell | Caring about Civil Liberties, Human URL:http://www.kh.org.au Join Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 04:19:56 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Political Blog of Kris Hanna MP | Independent MP for Mitchell | Caring about Civil Liberties, Human Rights. Member of Parliament for Oaklands Park, Marion, Reynella, Trott Park, Sheidow Park, Sturt, Seacombe, Sheidow Park, Trott Park Site statistics:Click here
GM wheat and barley trials for Adelaide 2008-05-22 19:57:56 The University of Adelaide has applied for permission to trial genetically-modified wheat
and barley at Glenthorne Farm in Adelaide’s southern suburbs.
It’s unusual that a trial of this kind should be carried out so close to heavily populated areas. I have called on the State Government to assure residents that there is no health risk [...]
Stricter controls wanted on ‘Pokie Palaces’ 2008-05-19 19:33:05 The outcome of a survey I conducted in my electorate of Mitchell shows that many people want to see stricter controls on poker machine operating hours.
Fifty seven per cent of the one thousand respondents to the survey agreed poker machine venues should closed between midnight and noon. Currently, poker machine operators can open 18 hours [...] Read more:wanted
Tricks to lure problem gamblers 2008-05-07 19:50:24 Today I introduced legislation to ban certain features of poker machines that are clearly designed to suck in problem gamblers.
The evidence is now clear. The pokie industry relies on certain tricks and deceptions in design features to suck in pokie addicts. And these tricks work.
Features such as ‘free spins’, ‘unbalanced reels’ and ‘multiple lines’ [...]
‘Pokie Palaces’ not enforcing gaming rules 2008-06-03 21:50:13 I’m not surprised by the report in today’s Adelaide Advertiser that some poker machine venues are not complying with the rule to report problem gamblers to authorities. Obviously, these problem gamblers are prime revenue sources for the pokie barons. Isn’t it time we took a tougher approach to these machines which are designed to be [...]
Ethical choice for public servants’ super 2008-06-04 19:10:02 Yesterday Greens MLC Mark Parnell succeeded in having the Upper House pass legislation that will allow public servants to choose an ethical option for their superannuation investments. Back in July 2005 I asked the Treasurer Kevin Foley why public servants weren’t being offered such an ethical option. At the time the Treasurer dismissed the inquiry [...]
2008 State Budget 2008-06-11 22:39:25 This was a budget with an eye on the next State
election in 2010. The Government put money into a football stadium, the trial desalination plant and the electrification of Adelaide’s rail network. These are three things that the Liberal Opposition has been pushing recently! The Government’s response suggests it is sensitive to its standing [...]
Extending the railway south 2008-06-10 22:29:24 The Opposition introduced a motion condemning the Government for not supporting the extension of the Noarlunga Line to Seaford. The Government amended the motion to simply acknowledge the Government’s report on extending a passenger line to Seaford. While the report found the extension technically feasible, it did not justify the expenditure at this time. The [...] Read more:railway
Reply to 2008 State Budget 2008-06-18 01:14:41 In Parliament today I had the opportunity to respond to the 2008 State
Budget.
There is a lot of good in the Budget, and it is particularly pleasing to see the commitment to the development of public transport in South Australia. There are certainly some visionary elements to it. I always said about the tramline [...]
Radical water pricing proposal 2008-07-01 18:49:01 I believe the State Government’s new water
prices are a missed opportunity to reward water conservation. The increase will do nothing to encourage water conservation. It merely ensures that garden watering restrictions continue. The Government have put into effect a three-tier pricing structure; an improvement on the two-tier pricing structure we had until earlier this [...] Read more:Radical
Garnaut Climate Change Review 2008-07-01 01:10:55 The Garnaut ClimateChange
Review will release its Draft Report on this Friday, 4 July. The Draft Report will outline the impacts of climate change and preliminary policy options for Australia to minimise its environmental and economic impacts.
Professor Ross Garnaut will host the forums, providing a half hour presentation, followed by question time.
The forum will [...]
Changes to wheelchair repair service 2008-06-30 00:45:54 The State Government plans to introduce a cost-cutting exercise next month that will leave people with disabilities without an option as to who repairs their wheelchair
s.
Under the new arrangements all repairs to wheelchairs provided by Disability SA will now be done by Domiciliary Care’s equipment service or designated service providers. The Minister admitted in [...]
Sniffer dogs in nightclubs and pubs 2008-06-22 19:46:06 Legislation is expected in the Lower House soon that allows police to use sniffer dogs to detect drugs in nightclubs and entertainment areas. If a sniffer dog gives police reasonable suspicion that a person is carrying illegal drugs that person can be searched. The problem with this kind of legislation is that in NSW sniffer [...]
Ban on ‘lightweight’ plastic bags 2008-06-19 19:41:13 In the Upper House, Environment Minister Gail Gago has introduced legislation to ban ‘lightweight’ plastic bags from 1 January next year. Shops such as supermarkets using lightweight plastic bags must offer alternatives. Plastic bags not banned include ‘bags on a roll’ as found in fruit and vegetable stalls, heavier bags used by boutiques and department [...]
Coorong urgently needs saving 2008-06-18 19:38:06 In Parliament today I supported a motion for urgent action to save the Coorong. This internationally significant site is dying. If we don’t act immediately, we will lose forever the possibility of recovering the bird, fish and plant life that has existed in the Coorong Lakes for thousands of years. In response, the Rann Government [...]
Glenthorne Farm meeting 2008-07-16 01:49:01 I have organised a public meeting
for this Saturday so local residents can find out more about Adelaide University’s latest revegetation plans for Glenthorne Farm. Last month Adelaide University released a management plan for 100 hectares of historic Glenthorne at O’Halloran Hill as part of a ‘Mt Lofty Woodland Initiative’.
While many locals welcome the [...]
COAG agreement on the Murray 2008-07-02 20:59:05 Today’s COAG announcement failed to offer immediate relief for the Lower Murray
. There appears to be no sense of urgency among Federal and State leaders. One example was the stumbling block over SA’s proposal to lift the current restriction of 4 per cent on water trading per year. While it was supported by other States, [...]
Budget Estimates hearings 2008-07-02 02:30:37 Budget Estimates
Committee hearings finished today. It’s an opportunity for MPs to question relevant Ministers about issues in the State Budget. But once again the process are so tightly controlled by the Government that it’s impossible to ask more than a few questions on the most controversial points. For example, just one hour to examine [...]
Recognition of Palestinian people 2008-08-01 01:36:44 Last week in Parliament I moved a motion to recognise the event known to the Palestinianpeople
as “Al-Nakba”, meaning “The Catastrophe”. This is a term that was adopted when, during the war in 1948, more than half of the Palestinian population of 1,380,000 were driven off their homeland by the Israeli army. The motion [...] Read more:Recognition
Food donors and distributors 2008-08-01 01:21:15 Food businesses and private individuals have been given reassurances should they wish to donate safe, surplus food to charity. Previously businesses disposed of useable surplus food for fear of legal repercussions should the recipient become ill from its consumption. Under recent legislation donors are protected, provided they act in good faith and without recklessness at [...] Read more:distributors
Indecent filming 2008-07-31 22:43:38 Last week the Government finally moved on my initiative to outlaw indecent filming
of people. Nearly five years after I proposed these measures it is now an offence to film someone, without their consent, attending to personal activities, such as undressing, having sex or going to the toilet. Back in December 2003 I introduced amendments to [...] Read more:Indecent
Ethical investment of State superannuation 2008-08-05 01:07:38 I introduced a Bill that was originally moved successfully by Greens MP, Mark Parnell, in the Upper House which allows State
employees to make an ethical choice regarding the superannuation fund into which their contributions are invested. The intent of this Bill was to simply empower State Government employees with an option for electing a [...] Read more:investment
Glenthorne Farm community meeting 2008-08-05 00:58:06 A good crowd attended a meeting
at O’Halloran Hill Anglican Church on Saturday19 July. I spoke about the history of Glenthorne, including efforts to keep the land free from urban development seven years ago. Peter Smythermann, Chairperson of Friends of Glenthorne, spoke about the need to retain open space.
Associate Professor David Paton from the University [...] Read more:community
Truth in sentencing 2008-08-05 00:30:59 The Government introduced a Bill in Parliament which sought to amend the Statutes Amendment (Truth
in Sentencing) Act 1994. The Government’s amendment was in response to Mr Shane Andrews who took legal action against the state, claiming that his imprisonment is illegal. I spoke to this Bill expressing concern that to introduce legislation while a [...]
Planning Reform 2008-09-17 21:34:34 In response to the Planning Reform
recently announced by the Minister for Urban Development and Planning, I have made a submission. I supported initiatives that maintain open space, enhance water collection and reduce the impact of climate change. My major objection relates to changes that will compromise local government oversight and community consultation. Due to [...]
Breastfeeding humiliation 2008-09-17 21:32:22 Recently I spoke out over an incident at Westfield Marion where one of my constituents was humiliated while expressing milk for her baby daughter. Sharleen was in the parents’ room behind a thin curtain when the incident occurred. Someone looked behind the curtain and, offended, reported Sharleen to centre security! The police were called and [...] Read more:humiliation
Housing crisis 2008-09-17 21:30:27 Homelessness is reaching a critical level, particularly for those with mental health problems or those experiencing extreme poverty. Currently it is a four month waiting period for emergency housing, which is directly affecting 261 homeless families state wide, including 500 children. If you have a serious mental or physical disability there is still a waiting [...] Read more:Housing
Support for increase in pensions 2008-09-17 21:23:39 I am pleased to hear the Federal Government saying they will respond to the needs of pensioners. In August I wrote to Jenny Macklin, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services & Indigenous Affairs, raising concerns over the increased demand on emergency services in the Mitchell electorate from growing poverty. With the cost of living rapidly [...] Read more:Support
, pensions
Changes to Death Certificate laws 2008-09-17 21:21:43 Following the improper handling of the death of a resident at the Brighton Aged Care Nursing Home, I gave notice last week in Parliament that I will introduce legislation tightening laws for doctors issuing death certificates. In July last year two doctors, who owned the nursing home and are married to each other, signed the [...] Read more:Certificate
Wasted time in new session of Parliament 2008-09-17 21:18:31 A new session
of State Parliament
commenced last week amidst the customary ceremony. While much time was consumed with formalities, little Parliamentary business was conducted. This time and expense could have been better used. Read more:Wasted
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