Australian politician on child porn charges

A South Australian Labor politician has been charged with child pornography offences.

Police say the man, who cannot be named because of automatic suppression orders on such offences, had been charged at the City Watch House on Wednesday night and released on bail.

Detectives from the Sexual Crime Investigation Branch arrested the man in relation to child exploitation offences.

He faces two charges of possessing child pornography and two charges of taking steps to access child pornography.

Police said the arrest was the result of the Sexual Crime Investigation Branch investigation Operation Decimate which targets offenders using the internet for child exploitation related offences.

News Ltd newspapers report that the MP was arrested after several laptops were seized from his home.

He is due to appear in court on May 20 and police say their investigation is continuing.

Politicians from both sides were in shock and few were prepared to talk about the incident.

A spokeswoman for Premier Mike Rann told News Ltd that he had not been told about the arrest and had no comment to make.

-AAP