Ann was elected to the Legislative Council of South Australia as an Independent Member on 18 March, 2006. She is the first female Independent to be elected in the history of that parliament.

Ann is the founder and former CEO of DrugBeat South Australia, a very successful recovery-based drug treatment and rehabilitation centre that has been operating in the northern suburbs of Adelaide since 1998. 

From the day it first opened its doors, DrugBeat offered an alternative for those frustrated by treatment providers that focused on drug maintenance. 

By delivering quality recovery-based rehabilitation and treatment, Ann's goal was a drug-free life for clients in need. 

Her philosophy is that "Recovered addicts say the only way to recover is to stop using drugs". The only way to begin the recovery process is by ceasing to use mind-altering substances, something few other drug treatment providers understand. This fundamental difference, coupled with professional counselling to help addicts overcome underlying trauma, has resulted in DrugBeat having one of the highest recovery success rates in the nation.

Ann was also on the Board of Directors of Drug Free Australia and was appointed to the Australian National Council of Drugs (ANCD), the peak advisory body to the Prime Minister's Office on drug policy.

Since being elected Ann has introduced a number of pieces of social justice legislation, including:

• Drug Paraphernalia Bill

• Random School Drug Testing

• Mandatory Drug Treatment Bill

• Anti Gang Legislation (youth gangs)

• Drug Testing for Learner Drivers

• Drug Testing on Arrest (where serious injury has occurred)

Ann was also successful in calling for a Parliamentary Select Committee Inquiry into child protection services in South Australia which saw the Opposition and cross benchers of the Legislative Council in absolute agreement on both the necessity and terms of reference for such a Committee.

Ann is also deeply concerned for the plight of problematic gamblers. Ann worked in the hospitality industry for 10 years and, while working as a gaming manager, saw first-hand the damage that was done in a short period to the people in the community because of the increased availability and accessibility of poker machines. 

 

For further information on Ann's policies, please see the Policies link which is on the browser to the left or Ann's Maiden Speech to Parliament.