Parliament of South Australia

Parliament of South Australia is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of South Australia. It operates under the principles of the Westminster system and derives its authority from the Constitution Act 1934. The Parliament consists of the House of Assembly, as the lower house, and the Legislative Council, as the upper house, and meets at Parliament House on North Terrace in the state capital of Adelaide.

History

The Parliament was established following the enactment of the Constitution Act 1856, with its first sitting held on 22 April 1857. This made it one of the oldest continuously operating democratic institutions in Australia, predating the British Parliament's 1867 Reform Act. A landmark early achievement was the passage of the Real Property Act 1858, which introduced the Torrens title system of land registration. The Parliament has been the site of significant social reforms, including the extension of women's suffrage in 1894, a world first, championed by figures like Catherine Helen Spence. Key political developments include the rise of the Labor Party under John Verran and the long premiership of Thomas Playford IV.

Composition and electoral system

The House of Assembly consists of 47 members, each elected from single-member districts using the preferential voting system. The Legislative Council comprises 22 members elected as a single statewide constituency using the proportional representation system. Members of the House of Assembly, known as MHAs, serve maximum four-year terms, while MLCs serve eight-year terms, with half the Council facing election every four years. The electoral systems were reformed following the 1991 South Australian state election, which led to the adoption of the current model. The Electoral Commission of South Australia administers all state elections.

Functions and powers

The primary functions are to legislate for the peace, order, and good government of South Australia, to scrutinize the actions of the Executive Council, and to control state taxation and expenditure. It holds the exclusive power to make laws on matters not reserved for the Commonwealth Parliament under the Australian Constitution. The House of Assembly holds the decisive role in forming government and is the house where appropriation bills must originate. The Legislative Council functions as a house of review, with the power to amend or reject legislation, except for certain money bills. Committees like the Crime and Public Integrity Policy Committee play a key investigative role.

Parliament House

The Parliament meets in Parliament House on North Terrace in Adelaide. The complex is a blend of historic and modern architecture; the West Wing, completed in 1889, is a notable example of Victorian architecture and houses the Legislative Council chamber. The newer additions, including the distinctive Civic glass facade, were part of a major renovation completed in 1939. The building is adjacent to other key institutions like the State Library of South Australia and the Adelaide Festival Centre. The Old Parliament House, located nearby, served as the seat of government from 1857 to 1889.

Current Parliament

The 55th Parliament commenced following the 2022 South Australian state election, which resulted in a majority victory for the Australian Labor Party led by Peter Malinauskas. The government holds 27 of 47 seats in the House of Assembly and 9 of 22 in the Legislative Council. The official opposition is the Liberal Party, led by David Speirs. The Legislative Council features a diverse crossbench including the 5, including the Crossbench (South Australia|Greens, and the Crossbench (South Australia|Greens South Australia|Advance SA. The current Dan Cregan.