Government of South Australia

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 Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, 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]

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

External links

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