In the Media

Here you will find selected media appearances by Ann, whether in print, on radio or on television. Where possible recent articles and transcripts* will appear below, with older appearances archived in the index at the base of the page. If you seeking an article that does not appear here, please contact Ann.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Below is a recent Today Tonight Adelaide story of the difficulties faced by those who have suffered a miscarriage of justice to have their case reviewed, particularly the failings of the current petition process to the Attorney-General, and the recent calls for the establishment of a Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). Features the former Justice of the High Court, Michael Kirby AC CMG, Ann Bressington MLC, Journalist Colleen Egan, Barrister Joe Crowley and others and was reported by Graham Archer on 10th November 2010.

Families SA fail to act yet again

Below is a Today Tonight Adelaide story of Families SA yet again refusing to intervene in a clear case of neglect. Features Ann Bressington MLC and was reported by Francesca Belperio on 8 November 2010.

Fluoride in the Media

1 October 2010 to 14 October 2010 - Water Fluoridation Transcripts (5AA 1395AM and ABC 891AM Transcripts)

1 October 2010 - 5AA: Byner: This story is extraordinary. I’ve often said we live in a more privatised dictatorship. We think we’re living in a democracy … but the world is changing. Global companies and privatisation and corporatisation are starting to rule the roost and whether we like it or not it’s what we’re being given. Now most ordinary people would be shocked to know that the fluoride that is put into our water supply is not a pharmaceutical grade product but rather a toxic waste product of the aluminium and phosphate fertiliser industry that’s called Fluorosilic Acid. Now what is interesting … the European court of justice has ruled that when used in water supplies fluoride was then used as a medicine and not to improve water quality and that mass medication was unacceptable for reasons that you would understand. The dosage isn’t regulated for each individual, the frequency of use is not regulated, the necessity of the medication and so on. Now, sodium fluoride is dumped into our water supply because there is no cheaper method of disposal for the aluminium and phosphate industries. And yet, when we were sold … fluoride for your teeth, we all kind of thought – well, yeah, maybe. And there were some lone voices out there years ago that were saying, ‘hang on a minute, you mightn’t be doing the very smart thing’. … adverse effects to fluoride have been noted in peer-reviewed scientific and medical papers. And these are in the America Medical Journal. Now I mentioned a few … mental dullness; I’ve always said, ‘what’s in the water on North Terrace?’. This might explain it. Gastrointestinal problems. The dental fraternity agree that dental fluorosis is caused by over exposure to fluoride or fluoride toxicity. Increase in fractures, hyperactivity and attention deficit. So let’s talk to the person that rang the bell for me … Ann Bressington. … )  Leon, Mount Gambier is due to go online for water fluoridation of their Blue Lake at the end of October- there’s been a group down there called Choice who are protesting about this and trying to get the ear of the minister now for about three years. The minister has refused to meet with them and so has the public health official – so I was interested in this prior to that but I decided I would go down to Mount Gambier … the angst down there is just absolutely enormous. People just do not want this and they are going to be forced to drink this poison. … as the rest of us are already. (Byner: … this is a serious allegation … we have always assumed that the fluoridation of our water supply was for our good and for our dental health. What do you say?) Well the research is there - … doctor AK Sheshila of the [unclear] institute in India has written over 80 published papers on this and has identified from her practice and her medical career that it also has very, very harsh effects on the unborn child. In America now they issue warnings that baby formula should not be reconstituted with fluoridated water... (please click here for the full transcript)

30 May 2010 - Sunday Mail: Outrage at $439 an hour medicos from interstate

An article by David Nankervis which highlights the mismanagement of WorkCover and EML, the monopoly claims agent, and exposes that interstate doctors are being used to do 'Independent Medical Examinations' at far greater expense than South Australian doctors. These doctors were described by Dr Andrew Lavender, President of the South Australian Branch of the Australian Medical Association, as "hired guns", adding that "(EML) are trying to seek someone who, instead of giving an independent opinion, is giving the opinion they want" For those who missed the Sunday Mail article by David Nankervis, it can be read by following this link: Outrage at $439 an hour medicos from interstate.

Following the Sunday Mail article, this and other issues were raised by Leon Byner on 5AA 1395 on Monday 31st May and Tuesday 1st June. The complete transcripts can be found here.

In the following sitting week of Parliament, Ann moved a motion calling for a ministerial investigation into the allegations made by the AMA, other medical and legal professionals and injured workers. The Hansard of Ann's speech when introducing the motion can be found here.

21 March 2010 - Sunday Mail: 21st Century Food Parcels

An article by David Nankervis which highlights how desperate the plight of injured workers has become, with many forced to rely upon handouts to survive. Features the inspiring dedication of Rosemary McKenzie-Ferguson, founder of Work Injured Resource Connection, and Ann Bressington. To read the article please click here.

11 March 2010 - Leon Byner (5AA): Interview featuring Ann Bressington MLC and Chris Hamilton, Psychologist, about the case of Mary and, more generally, Families SA

(Byner: … a story went to air on television last night, on ‘Today Tonight’, but in case you didn’t see it Mary is the grandmother of two children who remain in foster care, even though she was approved as a carer in 2007. Her world changed when she reported abuse of one of her grandsons while in the care of Nannies SA. This is a mortal sin, you never complain about anything Families SA has their hands on, because if you do you will be in trouble … this morning we’ve got Ann Bressington, MLC, and Chris Hamilton, who’s a psychologist … for those people who need to understand what this is about, and we actually got a rebuttal to this segment today before it went to air, probably based on what was on television last night, but just give us the story in a nutshell, and then the rebuttal from the Department, which itself is pretty interesting.) Bressington: Well Leon, this grandmother was applying for permanent care of her grandchildren from early 2007, she was approved in 2007 … as a relative carer … sometime later while she was on a Nannies SA roster for 40 hours a week she was caring for her grandchildren … unsupervised, she witnessed the physical abuse of one of her grandchildren aged three at the time … she reported that to Families SA. After that she was taken off the roster, she was put on supervised access for 1.5 hours a fortnight and is now not allowed to know where here grandchildren live, what school they go to, she’s not allowed to know anything about her grandchildren … from 2008 to the end of 2009 there have been periods of six months where she actually hasn’t been able to see her grandchildren. (Byner: … Chris Hamilton, why, what’s the justification from the Department on this?) Hamilton: … I understand Leon that she’s not considered a fit and proper person to do this, which is not what my psychological profile indicated when it was referred to me. (Byner: But there’s more.) Bressington: Well there is more … I have a document signed by the supervisor, the case worker and also the office manager stating that a section 14 recommendation was made … on the 18/7/07 that this grandmother was a fit and proper person. She was then exposed to a psychological profiling that deemed her to be having anger management issues. (Byner: Conducted by whom?) Bressington: By a psychologist from the Department … the profile, I’ve known this lady for three years, I’ve been working on this for three years, and there is no indication at all that she has anger management issues. (Byner: … just tell the people of South Australia, the Department sent us a document today trying to explain this. Tell us the purport of the document.) Bressington: … it’s policy palaver … (Byner: Just read me the first line …) Bressington: DFC has a policy of placing children in the care of their relatives and kin when such care is available and suitable. Let me just make the point Leon that when the social workers came out to Mary’s place they told her, on one instance, that she couldn’t have the children because she had double bunks, the kids couldn’t sleep in bunks. Then they came the next visit and told her that the house was too cluttered … she lived in a place the size of a matchbox. Part of their policy is to support families to relocate to get better accommodation. The third one was that there was supposedly a crystal meth lab over the road, which made the neighbourhood unsafe for her grandchildren. There were two children residing in that crystal meth lab at that time that were not removed, 66 other children in the street … (Byner: … they wanna take the neighbour’s kids away from the crystal meth lab, but not the kids that are living in the lab.) Bressington: That’s exactly right … (please click here for the full transcript)

10 March 2010 - TodayTonight Adelaide: Story of 'Mary', a grandmother denied her grandchildren by Families SA

Today Tonight Adelaide story of 'Mary', a grandmother who has wrongly been denied the care of and access to her grandchildren (who are in foster care) by Families SA. Went to air on the 10 March 2010 and features Ann Bressington MLC, Chris Hamilton and Tony Tonkin and was reported by Paul Makin.

TodayTonight story of 3 children left in an abusive and neglectful home by Families SA despite neighbours witnessing physical, verbal and emotional abuse of the children and frequent domestic violence. Features Ann Bressington MLC, Chris Hamilton, Tony Tonkin amongst other and was reported by Paul Makin.

As you may remember, in late 2008 Hydro Lord, the board game in which players compete to own the most hydroponic cannabis set-ups, attracted public outrage when copies were left in driveways, on foot paths and in children's playgrounds during school holidays as part of a guerrilla marketing campaign. Since that time, Ann has been trying to have Hydro Lord classified, hoping that as a result it would be out of the reach of children.

While Ann was successful in having Hydro Lord classified via an application to the Classification Board from the Licensing Enforcement Brach of the South Australian Police, the result unfortunately was a classification of M. While this does carry an advisory warning of 'Not recommended for readers under 15years' its sale is unrestricted, meaning children can presently purchase Hydro Lord.

With many parents expressing to Ann their disappointment in this classification, on Tuesday the 17th November 2009 Ann asked a question in Parliament of the Attorney-General, the South Australian Minister responsible for this area of law. One of the questions Ann asked was:

"Given the nature and the intention of Hydro Lord, does the Attorney-General agree with the Classification Board's classification of M? If not, will the Attorney-General make representations to the Classification Board and his federal counterparts, with the intention of revising Hydro Lord's present classification?"

It would now appear, however, that the Federal Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon Brendan O'Connor, did not require the Attorney-General's intervention, and on Thursday the 19th of November 2009 committed to a review of Hydro Lord's classification. It is hoped that Hydro Lord will be re-classified to a Category 1 publication, which would restrict access to those under the age of 18years. To read Ann's question in full, please click here.

On the Thursday following Ann's question, Channel 7's Today Tonight featured a story about Hydro Lord's classification, which can be viewed below.

Since this story went to air, copies of Hydro Lord have again been left in people's driveways, on footpaths and in public parks. Disturbingly, it would seem those responsible are selecting areas with large numbers of young families, who have children who were, or where shortly to be, on school holidays.