Who's  watching   the  watchers?

  Ian Gilfillan advocates establishing an SA anti-corruption commission.  

After investigating the operations of the nation's crime watchers in Perth this month, Democrats MLC Ian Gilfillan is now looking to revive his 1992 Bill to establish an SA Independent Commission Against Corruption. 
 
 
 
 

In the past 10 years, three Australian states have had Royal Commissions inquiring into corruption.   In each of those states, there have also been big changes in subsequent corruption-fighting methods.   New South Wales has an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) (now stripped of its powers to investigate police) and a newer, separate Police Integrity Commission (PIC).  Queensland has its Criminal Justice Commission, (CJC)  and newer Crime Commission.    Western Australia has its Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).  
Along with these independent "watchers" there are also Parliamentary Committees in each of these three states, in effect "watching the watchers." 

Ian Gilfillan was the sole South Australian MP at the meeting of the Working Group of Parliamentary Committees Oversighting Anti-Corruption and Law Enforcement Bodies held in  
 
 
 
 
 

"Each of these Parliamentary committees is engaged in a constant struggle to be an effective monitor of the likes of the ICAC, CJC and so on," he says.  

"They each have problems with their enabling legislation which at times leaves them as watchdogs with no teeth.    South Australia will be well served by learning from the mistakes of others, and improving their accountability mechanisms." 

In 1992, Ian unsuccessfully moved a Bill to set up a version of ICAC here in South Australia.  
"After my consultations with the MPs' oversighting bodies from NSW, Queensland and WA, I am in a better position to revise and improve my 1992 Bill," he says.  

"South Australia needs an independent corruption-fighting body with enough 'bite' and focus, but also with a sufficient level of impartial scrutiny to ensure its powers are not abused." 
The Working Group will come to Adelaide in April next year, at Ian's invitation, to plan the agenda for their next conference.

Investigating SA drug initiatives 

• Fifty-Seven people died from heroin-related deaths in South Australia in 1995.

• In 1995, the Netherlands, with a population of 15.4 million, reported 65 drug deaths.

• The UK, with 58 million people and similar drug policies to Australia, experienced 1,778 deaths that same year.

• Drug-related deaths in Switzerland (population 8 million) fell from 419 to 241 in the five years to 1997.

SA Democrats Leader Mike Elliott last month returned from a two-week drug law reform study tour of the Netherlands and Switzerland keen to establish an SA alliance with practitioners working in drug rehabilitation.   
Mr Elliott now plans to meet with the Australian Medical Association, pharmacists' associations and other groups to identify initiatives to reduce illicit drug use in SA.   
During his visit to Switzerland, Mike Elliott (left) met with a range of professionals involved in drug reduction schemes,