MPs revealed after police caution alleged stalker
Two SA MPs are fronting media after a northern-suburbs man was issued with stalking cautions.
Education Minister Lucy Hood and Member for Elizabeth Ella Shaw are fronting media as the two members of parliament allegedly stalked by a 44-year-old northern suburbs man.
The man was issued with stalking cautions in relation to the MPs, which relate to separate incidents involving Hood and Shaw and are not connected.
He was charged with breaching bail in connection with unrelated offending, according to SA Police, and was arrested at a northern suburbs address on Tuesday afternoon following investigations.
The man will face court on November 27 on the breach of bail charge. At the time of writing, the man has not been formally charged with stalking.
If an individual who has been issued a stalking caution commits a breach, they can be formally charged with stalking under Section 19AA of the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 (SA).
Hood and Shaw addressed the media on Wednesday afternoon with Hood saying the overwhelming feeling from the two was “frustration”.
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Hood first reported the person cautioned yesterday about three years ago, and he was cautioned at the time.
Asked if she wanted to see police action sooner, Hood said “I felt that the police acted appropriately, and I absolutely felt supported, and I believe that they took the appropriate course of action”.
Hood declined to provide further details regarding how many times she had reported the alleged stalker.
“We are women that love our communities, who put our hand up to represent their communities in the state parliament, and really, we would love to be here talking about our communities today.
“It is a sad occurrence that the political discourse has moved to such a level that we see young women in our parliament who are having to come up with this behaviour.”
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Shaw said the behaviour was “unwanted” but that it would not deter her from doing her job.
“I’ll definitely not stop door knocking, attending community events. That’s the exact reason that I’ve been elected to do this job: is to advocate for my community,” Shaw said.
Hood has spoken out previously regarding harassment she has received, including being targeted with abusive graffiti written on a wall in the CBD earlier this year.
Shaw became SA’s youngest state government elected member at the March election.
Last week, Shaw told InDaily she no longer posts online in real time, after an incident where she was tracked and followed to her car.
Shaw said she posted an Instagram story about attending a community event when a person who had repeatedly messaged her on social media was waiting outside when she left. InDaily is not suggesting this is linked to the current caution.
As a backbencher, Shaw only has three staff members in her electorate office and monitors her social media content herself.
It comes as the government has organised top cop Linda Williams to brief MPs on their safety at Parliament House on Thursday.
SA Police Commissioner Williams and a lieutenant will brief members amid a surge in public threats and heightened awareness following the alleged attack on Victorian MP Helen Haines, which caused her to lose both legs.
The briefing is expected to cover security measures at electorate offices, general parliament safety protocols, including access and how to report abuse or threats.
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