News Archive
2009 News Stories
New laws on R18+ films
New laws about the display, exhibition and promotion of r18+ films in South Australia commence on 10 January 2010. These laws may affect businesses that sell or rent films in any format.
A fact sheet summarising the new laws is available (108KB, PDF). The full legislation is available on the Legislation SA website.
Justices of the Peace - update your details
December 2009
Justice of the Peace Services are requesting that all Justices of the Peace for South Australia ensure that their contact details are correct by checking the online roll or by emailing jpservices@agd.sa.gov.au or by calling 8207 1725.
Justices of the Peace are obliged by the Justices of the Peace Regulations 2006 to provide written notice to the Attorney-General of any changes to their name, business or home address, occupation or phone number.
All updates must be provided on the Change of Details Form (29KB, PDF)
Application Lodged Under Serious and Organised Crime (Control) Act 2008
December 2009
On Wednesday, 9 December, 2009, the Hon. Michael Atkinson M.P., Attorney-General, received an application for a declaration of the Rebels Motorcycle Club operating in South Australia from Malcolm Hyde, Commissioner of Police, under Part 2 of the Serious and Organised Crime Act 2008.
Notice of the application was published in the Advertiser and Sunday Mail the weekend of 12-13 December 2009 and in the SA Government Gazette on Friday, 11 December 2009.
The public is invited to make submissions about the application.
All submissions must be in writing and sent to:
G.P.O. Box 2852
ADELAIDE S.A. 5001
Submissions are due by 5p.m. Friday, 5 February 2009.
You can download a copy of the application for declaration (49KB, PDF) and a brief outline of the statutory declaration provided in support of the application (101KB, PDF).
If you consider that you require additional information please write or email the Attorney-General stating your interest in the application.
Contact details:
G.P.O. Box 2852
ADELAIDE S.A. 5001
email soc@agd.sa.gov.au
National Cooperatives law - consultation
December 2009
A new National Cooperatives Law is being proposed to create a uniform system of governance for cooperatives across States and Territories.
The proposed law will replace separate cooperatives legislation in each State and Territory with a single national law.
Comment is invited on the proposed Cooperatives National Law, Cooperatives National Law Bill and Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement for this proposed legislation.
NSW Fair Trading is collecting comments on behalf of the Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs from interested people and organisations across Australia. Copies of the consultation documents and instructions on how and where to make a submission are available at the NSW Fair Trading website.
Hard copies of the consultation documents are not available. However, if you are unable to download the documents please contact 13 32 20.
Consultations have closed.
Intervention Orders (Prevention of Abuse) Act 2009
The Act was passed in Parliament on 1 December 2009. The Act is not yet in operation. It reforms laws for the restraint of domestic and personal violence.
By this Act, the Government fulfils its commitment to review the rape, sexual assault and domestic violence laws, announced in November 2005 as part of the whole-of-Government policy initiative Our Commitment to Women's Safety in South Australia.
The aim is to make these laws easier to understand and enforce and to emphasise that our society does not tolerate personal violence of any kind, whether it occurs within a domestic relationship or not.
Further Information
The Act will be posted here soon.
Intervention Orders Summary December 2009 (81KB, DOC)
Charitable Donations Report
The Government has consulted the South Australian public about whether people who donate goods and services to charity should be protected from being sued in negligence if the users of the goods or services are injured. After considering submissions from the interested parties, the Government has decided that the current law protecting people who donate food to charity should not be extended to cover donors of other goods and services. Further information is available in the Report on Charitable Donations: Should the law protect charitable donors of goods and services against legal liability?) (52KB, PDF).
Submissions are in the attached document (731KB, PDF)
Public Sector Week
Think you know what the public sector is? Chances are it’s more than you think.
Many diverse and interesting careers are spread across the 97,000 South Australians employed in the public sector.
This year the Attorney-General's Department is hosting a number of free events for the public to gain an insight into what we really do.
Opening the Evidence Room Door - lunchtime talk on Monday 23 November, highlighting methods of collecting evidence, how evidence is used and anecdotal stories about evidence hauls. Will feature SA Metropolitan Fire Service, Forensic Science SA and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
In the Market for a Will - Public Trustee’s stand in the Central Markets will be open from Monday - Friday offering advice and on-the-spot services.
The Naked Scientist - Forensic Science SA (FSSA) display and talk being held on Saturday 21 November
Living Books in Justice - a chance to talk one-on-one with a range of people from the Justice Portfolio - from an interpreter to a legal advisor to an estate services officer.
Iwantja Band Concert - lunchtime concert in Victoria Square on Thursday 26 November.
MAC Rescue Helicopter Service - ‘open day’ at the Torrens Parade Ground on Thursday 26 November.
More information and registrations can be found on www.publicsectorweek.sa.gov.au
Knife Law Discussion Paper
Changes to the laws relating to knives (the Summary Offences Act 1953) have been proposed. The proposed new laws include restrictions on the sale and supply of knives, particularly to young people, and would give police more powers to detect knives.
This discussion paper is intended to encourage people to comment on what is proposed and to provide information that will assist the Government to formulate a fair and workable law.
Knife Law Discussion Paper (76KB, PDF)
Knife Law Discussion Paper - Simplified Version (68KB, PDF)
Appendix to Knives Discussion Paper (29KB, PDF)
Summary Offences (Offensive Weapons) Amendment Bill 2009 (27.3KB, PDF)
Consultations now closed.
Charitable Donor Protection Discussion Paper
Last year, the Government introduced laws to protect charitable food donors from liability unless they know that the the food they donate is unsafe or they are reckless about its condition. The Government is consulting the public about whether to extend the laws to cover people who donate other goods and services to charity.
The attached Discussion Paper sets out the issues and invites the public to comment (216KB, PDF)
2009 Aboriginal Power Cup
The Aboriginal Power Cup (APC) has kicked-off for 2009, with 10 schools from across South Australia competing to become Power Cup Champion.
The APC is a partnership between the Attorney-General’s Department, South Australian Aboriginal Sports Training Academy and the Port Adelaide Football Club with support from the South Australian National Football League.
The APC was developed in response to Monsignor David Cappo’s To Break the Cycle report and is based on a successful U.K. model. It aims inspire young Aboriginal people to make positive and healthy choices in life, complete their SACE and engage in career pathways.
With a 2-day football carnival as its centrepiece, participating boys and girls will engage in a leadership program prior to the carnival. Students must also have a good school attendance rate in order to participate in the program. The Grand Final of the Aboriginal Power Cup will be played as the curtain-raiser to the Port Adelaide v North Melbourne match on Saturday August 29. Tickets to the Grand Final can be purchased through Ticketmaster.
For more information about the Cup, visit the Aboriginal Power Cup website.
Reasons tabled in Parliament by the Hon. M.J. Atkinson M.P., Attorney-General
The attached document outlines the Attorney-General's reasons for declaring the Finks Motorcycle Club last month (596KB, PDF).
Attorney-General declares Finks Motorcycle Club
May 2009
The Attorney-General has made the first declaration under the Serious and Organised Crime (Control) Act 2008.
Details are available in the attached Ministerial Statement (84KB, PDF).
2009 Crime Prevention and Community Safety Grants announced
April 2009
The recipients of the 2009 Crime Prevention and Community Safety Grants have been announced today, Wednesday 22 April.
Attorney-General Michael Atkinson announced more than $600,000 funding for 15 initiatives designed to reduce crime across the State. He announced the successful grant recipients while visiting the highly creative 'Piecing it Together' project at Hallett Cove, organised by the City of Marion Council.
Additional information on the announcement is in the media release (103KB, PDF) and detailed information on the grants program is in the Crime Prevention section of this website.
Largest native title determination in SA history
March 2009
The largest native-title determination in South Australian history has been made this month, by recognising claims made by the Adnyamathanha Aboriginal people to over 41,000sq km of land in the Flinders and Gammon Ranges and surrounding areas.
More information is available in the media release (38KB, PDF)
Attorney-General makes second Ministerial statement regarding Serious and Organised Crime (Control) Act 2008 Application
March 2009
On Tuesday, 24 March 2009, the Hon. Michael Atkinson M.P., Attorney-General, made his second Ministerial statement regarding the application to declare the Finks Motorcycle Club.
A copy of the statement is available for download (71KB, PDF).
Fraud-resistant paper to help curb identity theft
March 2009
South Australia is one of the first States to start using new fraud-resistant paper for all birth, marriage and change of name certificates.
The Council of Australasian Registrars developed the new-generation paper that combines different hi-tech features to make certificates almost impossible to copy and make tampering easily detectable.
More information is available in the media release (84KB, PDF)
Attorney-General makes Ministerial statement regarding Serious and Organised Crime (Control) Act 2008 Application
February 2009
On Tuesday, 16 December, 2008, the Hon. Michael Atkinson M.P., Attorney-General, received an application for a declaration of the Finks Motorcycle Club operating in South Australia from Malcolm Hyde, Commissioner of Police, under Part 2 of the Serious and Organised Crime Act 2008 (Media Release (91KB, PDF).
Notice of the application was given in the Government Gazette (p5617) on Thursday 18 December 2008, and was in the Advertiser and Sunday Mail the weekend of 20 - 21 December 2008.
The public was invited to make submissions about the application.
All submissions were to be in writing and sent to G.P.O. Box 2852, ADELAIDE S.A. 5001. Submissions were due by 5p.m. Wednesday, 28 January, 2009.
A copy of the application for declaration is available for download (11KB, PDF).
The Attorney-General made a Ministerial statement in Parliament relating to the application on Tuesday 3 February 2009. A copy of the statement is available for download (13KB, PDF).
If you require additional information please telephone 8207 1905, email soc@agd.sa.gov.au or write to G.P.O. Box 2852, ADELAIDE S.A. 5001.
A copy of the Serious and Organised Crime (Control) Act 2008 and the Serious and Organised Crime (Control) Regulations 2008 can be downloaded at the Legislation SA website.
Top Public Service honours for Public Trustee employee
January 2009
Media Release (25KB, PDF)
When Marcia Stewart meets a client, it is - more often than not - under difficult circumstances. For some it is following a horrific road crash. Others may be facing bankruptcy or in the middle of a nasty family dispute.
The prospect of chaperoning someone at one of the lowest points in their life would be too daunting to contemplate for the average person - but for Marcia, it’s a different story.
That’s what makes this Public Trustee staff member so special - and the winner of a 2009 Public Service Medal.
The award recognises outstanding service by employees of the Australian Government and state, territory and local governments.
As the Team Leader in the Personal Estate Services Branch of the Public Trustee, Marcia provides financial administration service to people suffering from mental incapacity. She was one of only three South Australians to be acknowledged with a PSM in this years’ Australia Day Honours.
New Deputy DPP Appointed
January 2009
Media Release (66KB, PDF)
The Attorney-General Michael Atkinson has congratulated experienced criminal prosecutor Adam Kimber on his appointment as Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mr Kimber is a distinguished criminal lawyer with more than 12 years experience in the South Australian Office of the DPP.
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