Government of South Australia

Government of South Australia

Emblem of the South Australian Government and its agencies
Coat of arms of the State of South Australia, used for formal and ceremonial purposes.
Formation	1856 as responsible Colonial government; 1901 as an Australian state
Australian state	South Australia
Website	http://www.sa.gov.au/
Legislative branch
Legislature	Parliament of South Australia; SA Legislative Council SA House of Assembly
Meeting place	Parliament House
Executive branch
Main organ	Cabinet of South Australia
Leader	Premier
Appointer	Governor
Meeting place	Parliament House
Judicial branch
Court	Supreme Court
Seat	Adelaide

The Government of South Australia, also referred to as the South Australian Government, is the Australian state democratic administrative authority of South Australia. The Government of South Australia, a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, was formed in 1856 as prescribed in its Constitution, as amended from time to time. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, South Australia has been a state of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Constitution of Australia regulates its relationship with the Commonwealth. Under the Australian Constitution, South Australia ceded legislative and judicial supremacy to the Commonwealth, but retained powers in all matters not in conflict with the Commonwealth.

Executive and judicial powers

South Australia is governed according to the principles of the Westminster system, a form of parliamentary government based on the model of the United Kingdom. Legislative power rests with the Parliament of South Australia, which consists of the Crown, represented by the governor of South Australia, and the two Houses, the South Australian Legislative Council and the South Australian House of Assembly, with general elections held every four years.

Executive power rests formally with the executive council, which consists of the governor and senior ministers. In practice executive power is exercised by the premier of South Australia and the cabinet, who are appointed by the governor, but who hold office by virtue of their ability to command the support of a majority of members of the House of Assembly.

Judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court of South Australia and a system of subordinate courts, but the High Court of Australia and other federal courts have overriding jurisdiction on matters which fall under the ambit of the Australian constitution.

Current ministry

The current ministry of the South Australian Government comprises the following Labor and independent members:^[1][2]

Party	Minister	Portfolio
Labor	Hon. Jay Weatherill, MHA	Premier
Labor	Hon. John Rau, MHA	Deputy Premier Attorney-General Minister for Justice Reform Minister for Planning Minister for Industrial Relations Minister for Child Protection Reform Minister for the Public Sector Minister for Consumer and Business Services Minister for City of Adelaide
Labor	Hon. Kyam Maher, MLC	Minister for Employment Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation Minister for Automotive Transformation Minister for Science and Information Economy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council
Labor	Hon. Jack Snelling, MHA	Minister for Health Minister for The Arts Minister for Health Industries Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly
Labor	Hon. Tom Koutsantonis, MHA	Treasurer Minister for Finance Minister for State Development Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy
Labor	Hon. Ian Hunter, MLC	Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation Minister for Water and the River Murray Minister for Climate Change
Labor	Hon. Leon Bignell, MHA	Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister for Forests Minister for Tourism Minister for Recreation and Sport Minister for Racing
Independent Liberal	Hon. Martin Hamilton-Smith, MHA	Minister for Investment and Trade Minister for Small Business Minister for Defence Industries Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
Independent	Hon. Geoff Brock, MHA	Minister for Regional Development Minister for Local Government
Labor	Hon. Zoe Bettison, MHA	Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion Minister for Social Housing Minister for the Status of Women Minister for Ageing Minister for Multicultural Affairs Minister for Youth Minister for Volunteers
Labor	Hon. Susan Close, MHA	Minister for Education and Child Development Minister for Higher Education and Skills
Labor	Hon. Stephen Mullighan, MHA	Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Minister for Housing and Urban Development
Labor	Hon. Leesa Vlahos, MHA	Minister for Disabilities Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Labor	Hon. Peter Malinauskas, MLC	Minister for Police Minister for Correctional Services Minister for Emergency Services Minister for Road Safety

Government agencies

The South Australian Government delivers services, determines policy and regulations, including legal interpretation, by a number of agencies grouped under areas of portfolio responsibility. Each portfolio is led by a government minister who is a member of the Parliament. As of July 2016 there were twenty one (21) lead agencies, called government departments, that consist of:^[3]

• Attorney-General's Department
• Auditor-General's Department
• Department for Communities and Social Inclusion
• Department for Correctional Services
• Country Fire Service
• Courts Administration Authority
• Defence SA
• Department for Education and Child Development
• Electoral Commission of South Australia
• Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources
• Department for Health and Ageing
• Legal Services Commission
• South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service
• Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure
• Department of the Premier and Cabinet
• Department of Primary Industries and Regions
• Department of Treasury and Finance
• SAFECOM
• South Australia Police
• Department of State Development
• State Emergency Service

A range of other agencies support the functions of these departments.

Government business enterprises

• South Australian Forestry Corporation trading as ForestrySA^[4]
• South Australian Water Corporation trading as SA Water^[5]

See also

• List of South Australian government agencies

References

1. "Peter Malinauskas, Leesa Vlahos confirmed as new members of SA Labor ministry". ABC News. Australia. 18 January 2016.
2. "Reshuffle, Peter Malinauskas and Leesa Vlahos join Jay Weatherill's Cabinet". The Advertiser. 18 January 2016.
3. "Government departments and ministers". Directories. Government of South Australia. 19 January 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
4. "ForestrySA Corporate Overview". ForestrySA. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
5. "About us". SA Water. Retrieved 18 August 2015.

External links

• Government of South Australia website
• The Constitution of South Australia