i don't live in SA or have much knowledge of the legal specifics there, but my experiences in WA with getting busted with smoking implements is that they have been treated similarly to possession of a small amount of drugs.
in my case, they took my (weed) pipe and a bucket piece, as well as a tiny nugget of pot. they found a bunch of empty bags and twigs and stems that i didn't even know was there. my flat was raided on the basis of a non-drug related matter, a false accusation.
i got a combined drug diversion for the two separate "offences" (possession of cannabis and a smoking implement respectively) and they were also confiscated. i attended an "education session" and that was it. no fine, no record, basically a warning.
they didn't take my grinder (big relief - it had some kief in it so i could at least get high when the pigs left my place) or my coke kit (leather pouch w/ mirror, razor, tube, medicine bottle and spoon).
i'm sure every case/cop/place is different, but i don't think paraphernalia is a big priority of law enforcement, on a a personal level. scales and empty baggies are indicative of intent to supply - whereas a smoking implement proves that you just smoke pot sometimes.
i don't think you would find yourself in a position of having to "convince a court" of anything regarding your smoking implements, unless you really tried to fight whatever charge they laid on you. busting people for owning a pipe or a bong is a serious waste of police and court time, usually you own up to it and they say "tsk tsk, don't do it again". maybe a small fine, tops.
even if the charge was connected to something more serious, i really don't think possession of a smoking implement is considered a serious criminal offence (even in the current regressive legislative climate we find ourselves in across australia). somebody from south australia might come along and contradict this; for all i know there is some new, heavy dinosaur law in place to throw the book at stoners.
now, in the states that have recently banned smoking implements (WA is one, i know there are others but i've not really kept up with it) selling smoking implements (especially to a minor?) seems to be the big no-no with the ridiculous tens-of-thousands-of-dollars fines and all.
fucking ridiculous state of affairs - australia used to be a world leader in implementing progressive harm-minimisation approaches to drug use. now we're pushing kids to smoke out of cans and plastic bottles again, inhaling all kinds of fumes and fucked up shit.
fuck the liberals - bunch of pissweak visionless old men who want to drag us all back to the stone age.
i'd recommend a vaporiser - far healthier, a nice stone, and your average garden variety pig won't know what the fuck it is anyway.
