{"id":"members-of-parliament-register-of-interests-act-1983","name":"Members of Parliament (Register of Interests) Act 1983","slug":"members-of-parliament-register-of-interests-act-1983","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"sa","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":105932,"registerId":"sa-members-of-parliament-register-of-interests-act-1983-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Members of Parliament (Register of Interests) Act 1983","content":"South Australia\nMembers of Parliament (Register of Interests) Act 1983\nAn Act to establish a Register of certain interests of Members of the Parliament of South Australia; and for other purposes.\n\nContents\n1\tShort title\n2\tInterpretation\n3\tLodging of returns\n4\tContents of returns\n5\tRegister of Members' Interests\n6\tRestrictions on publications\n7\tFailure to comply with Act\n8\tRegulations\nLegislative history\n\nThe Parliament of South Australia enacts as follows:\n1—Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Members of Parliament (Register of Interests) Act 1983.\n2—Interpretation\n\t(1)\tIn this Act, unless the contrary intention appears—\nbeneficial interest in property includes a right to re-acquire the property;\ndomestic partner means a person who is a domestic partner within the meaning of the Family Relationships Act 1975, whether declared as such under that Act or not;\nfamily, in relation to a Member, means—\n\t(a)\ta spouse or domestic partner of the Member; and\n\t(b)\ta child of the Member who is under the age of eighteen years and normally resides with the Member;\nfamily company of a Member means a proprietary company—\n\t(a)\tin which the Member or a member of the Member's family is a shareholder; and\n\t(b)\tin respect of which the Member or a member of the Member's family, or any such persons together, are in a position to cast, or control the casting of, more than one-half of the maximum number of votes that might be cast at a general meeting of the company;\nfamily trust of a Member means a trust (other than a testamentary trust)—\n\t(a)\tof which the Member or a member of the Member's family is a beneficiary; and\n\t(b)\twhich is established or administered wholly or substantially in the interests of the Member or a member of the Member's family, or any such persons together;\nfinancial benefit, in relation to a person, means—\n\t(a)\tany remuneration, fee or other pecuniary sum exceeding $1 000 received by the person in respect of a contract of service entered into, or paid office held by, the person; and\n\t(b)\tthe total of all remuneration, fees or other pecuniary sums received by the person in respect of a trade, profession, business or vocation engaged in by the person where that total exceeds $1 000,\nbut does not include any such financial benefit received by the person as a Member or officer of Parliament or a Minister of the Crown, or in respect of membership of a committee to which the person was appointed by Parliament or either House of Parliament;\ngift means a transaction in which a benefit of pecuniary value is conferred without consideration or for less than adequate consideration, but does not include an ordinary commercial transaction or a transaction in the ordinary course of business;\nincome source, in relation to a person, means—\n\t(a)\tany person or body of persons with whom the person entered into a contract of service or held any paid office; and\n\t(b)\tany trade, vocation, business or profession engaged in by the person;\nMember means a person who is for the time being—\n\t(a)\ta Member of the House of Assembly; or\n\t(b)\ta Member of the Legislative Council;\na person related to a Member means—\n\t(a)\ta member of the Member's family;\n\t(b)\ta family company of the Member;\n\t(c)\ta trustee of a family trust of the Member;\nRegister means—\n\t(a)\tthe Register of Members' Interests kept by the Registrar for the House of Assembly; or\n\t(b)\tthe Register of Members' Interests kept by the Registrar for the Legislative Council;\nRegistrar means—\n\t(a)\tin relation to the House of Assembly—the Clerk of the House of Assembly; or\n\t(b)\tin relation to the Legislative Council—the Clerk of the Legislative Council;\nreturn period, in relation to an ordinary return of a Member, means—\n\t(a)\tin the case of a Member whose last return was a primary return—the period between the date of the primary return and the thirtieth day of June next following; and\n\t(b)\tin the case of any other Member—the period of twelve months expiring on the thirtieth day of June on or within sixty days after which the ordinary return is required to be submitted;\nspouse—a person is the spouse of another if they are legally married;\ntrade or professional organisation means a body, corporate or unincorporate, of—\n\t(a)\temployers or employees; or\n\t(b)\tpersons engaged in a profession, trade or other occupation,\nbeing a body of which the object, or one of the objects, is the furtherance of its own professional, industrial or economic interests or those of any of its members.\n\t(2)\tFor the purposes of this Act, a person who is an object of a discretionary trust is to be taken to be a beneficiary of that trust.\n\t(3)\tFor the purposes of this Act, a person is an investor in a body if—\n\t(a)\tthe person has deposited money with, or lent money to, the body that has not been repaid and the amount not repaid equals or exceeds $10 000; or\n\t(b)\tthe person holds, or has a beneficial interest in, shares in, or debentures of, the body or a policy of life insurance issued by the body.\n\t(4)\tFor the purposes of this Act, in relation to a return by a Member—\n\t(a)\ttwo or more separate contributions made by the same person for or towards the cost of travel undertaken by the Member or a member of the Member's family during the return period are to be treated as one contribution for or towards the cost of travel undertaken by the Member;\n\t(b)\ttwo or more separate gifts received by the Member or a person related to the Member from the same person during the return period are to be treated as one gift received by the Member;\n\t(c)\ttwo or more separate transactions to which the Member or a person related to the Member is a party with the same person during the return period under which the Member or a person related to the Member has had the use of property of the other person (whether or not being the same property) during the return period are to be treated as one transaction under which the Member has had the use of property of the other person during the return period.\n3—Lodging of returns\n\t(1)\tEvery person who is a Member on the first day of September, 1983, shall on or before the thirtieth day of September, 1983, submit to the Registrar a primary return.\n\t(2)\tEvery person who becomes a Member after the first day of September, 1983, and was not a Member within the period of ninety days preceding the day on which he became a Member shall, within thirty days after taking and subscribing the oath or affirmation as a Member, submit to the Registrar a primary return.\n\t(3)\tEvery Member shall, on or within sixty days after the thirtieth day of June in 1984 and each succeeding year, submit to the Registrar an ordinary return.\n4—Contents of returns\n\t(1)\tFor the purposes of this Act, a primary return shall be in the prescribed form and contain the following information:\n\t(a)\ta statement of any income source that the Member required to submit the return or a person related to the Member has or expects to have in the period of twelve months after the date of the primary return; and\n\t(b)\tthe name of any company or other body, corporate or unincorporate, in which the Member or a member of his family holds any office whether as director or otherwise; and\n\t(c)\tthe information required by subsection (3).\n\t(2)\tFor the purposes of this Act, an ordinary return shall be in the prescribed form and shall contain the following information:\n\t(a)\twhere the Member required to submit the return or a person related to the Member received, or was entitled to receive, a financial benefit during any part of the return period—the income source of the financial benefit; and\n\t(b)\twhere the Member or a member of his family held an office whether as director or otherwise in any company or other body, corporate or unincorporate, during the return period—the name of the company or other body; and\n\t(c)\tthe source of any contribution made in cash or in kind of or above the amount or value of $750 (other than any contribution by the State or any public statutory corporation constituted under the law of the State, by an employer or by a person related by blood or marriage) for or towards the cost of any travel beyond the limits of South Australia undertaken by the Member or a member of his family during the return period, and for the purposes of this paragraph cost of travel includes accommodation costs and other costs and expenses associated with the travel; and\n\t(d)\tparticulars (including the name of the donor) of any gift of or above the amount or value of $750 received by the Member or a person related to the Member during the return period from a person other than a person related by blood or marriage to the Member or to a member of the Member's family; and\n\t(e)\twhere the Member or a person related to the Member has been a party to a transaction under which the Member or person related to the Member has had the use of property of the other person during the return period and—\n\t(i)\tthe use of the property was not acquired for adequate consideration or through an ordinary commercial transaction or in the ordinary course of business; and\n\t(ii)\tthe market price for acquiring a right to such use of the property would be $750 or more; and\n\t(iii)\tthe person granting the use of the property was not related by blood or marriage to the Member or to a member of the Member's family—\nthe name and address of that person; and\n\t(ea)\tparticulars of any contract made during the return period between the Member or a person related to the Member and the Crown in right of the State where any monetary consideration payable by a party to the contract equals or exceeds $7 500; and\n\t(f)\tthe information required by subsection (3).\n\t(3)\tFor the purposes of this Act, a return (whether primary or ordinary) shall contain the following information:\n\t(a)\tthe name or description of any company, partnership, association or other body in which the Member required to submit the return or a person related to the Member is an investor; and\n\t(b)\tthe name of any political party, any body or association formed for political purposes or any trade or professional organisation of which the Member is a member; and\n\t(c)\ta concise description of any trust (other than a testamentary trust) of which the Member or a person related to the Member is a beneficiary or trustee (including the name and address of each trustee); and\n\t(d)\tthe address or description of any land in which the Member or a person related to the Member has any beneficial interest other than by way of security for any debt; and\n\t(e)\tany fund in which the Member or a person related to the Member has an actual or prospective interest to which contributions are made by a person other than the Member or a person related to the Member; and\n\t(f)\twhere the Member or a person related to the Member is indebted to another person (not being related by blood or marriage to the Member or to a member of the Member's family) in an amount of or exceeding $7 500—the name and address of that other person; and\n\t(fa)\twhere the Member or a person related to the Member is owed money by a natural person (not being related to the Member or a member of the Member's family by blood or marriage) in an amount of or exceeding $10 000—the name and address of that person; and\n\t(g)\tany other substantial interest whether of a pecuniary nature or not of the Member or of a person related to the Member of which the Member is aware and which he considers might appear to raise a material conflict between his private interest and the public duty that he has or may subsequently have as a Member.\n\t(3a)\tA Member is required by this section only to disclose information that is known to the Member or ascertainable by the Member by the exercise of reasonable diligence.\n\t(4)\tNothing in this section requires a Member to disclose information relating to a person as trustee of a trust unless the information relates to the person in the person's capacity as trustee of a trust by reason of which the person is related to the Member.\n\t(4a)\tIt will be sufficient compliance with paragraph (ea) of subsection (2) if a Member's return contains particulars of a class of contracts referred to in that paragraph (rather than particulars of the individual contracts comprised in the class) provided that each contract of the class is an ordinary commercial or arm's length contract.\n\t(5)\tA Member may at any time notify the Registrar of any change or variation in the information appearing on the Register in respect of himself or a member of his family.\n\t(6)\tA Member may include in a return such additional information as he thinks fit.\n\t(7)\tNothing in this section shall be taken to prevent a Member from disclosing the information required by this section in such a way that no distinction is made between information relating to himself personally and information relating to a person related to the Member.\n\t(8)\tNothing in this section shall be taken to require disclosure of the actual amount or extent of any financial benefit, gift, contribution or interest.\n5—Register of Members' Interests\n\t(1)\tEach Registrar shall maintain a Register of Members' Interests and shall cause to be entered in the Register all information furnished to him pursuant to this Act.\n\t(2)\tA Registrar shall, at the request of any member of the public, permit him to inspect the Register maintained by him and to take a copy of any of its contents.\n\t(3)\tEach Registrar shall, as soon as practicable after the receipt of primary or ordinary returns from Members, prepare a statement constituting a compilation of the information contained in the Register relating to those Members.\n\t(4)\tEach Registrar shall cause a copy of a statement prepared by him pursuant to subsection (3) to be laid before the House of Parliament for which he is Registrar within fourteen days of its preparation if Parliament is then sitting, or, if Parliament is not then sitting, within fourteen days of the next meeting of Parliament.\n6—Restrictions on publications\n\t(1)\tA person shall not publish whether in Parliament or outside Parliament—\n\t(a)\tany information derived from the Register or a statement prepared pursuant to section 5 unless that information constitutes a fair and accurate summary of the information contained in the Register or statement and is published in the public interest; or\n\t(b)\tany comment on the facts set forth in the Register or statement unless that comment is fair and published in the public interest and without malice.\n\t(2)\tWhere a person publishes within Parliament any information or comment in contravention of subsection (1), the person shall be guilty of a contempt of Parliament.\n\t(3)\tWhere any information or comment is published by any person outside Parliament in contravention of subsection (1), that person and any person who authorised the publication of the information or comment shall be guilty of an offence and liable—\n\t(a)\tin the case of a corporation—to a penalty not exceeding twenty five thousand dollars; or\n\t(b)\tin any other case—to a penalty not exceeding five thousand dollars or imprisonment for three months.\n7—Failure to comply with Act\n\t(1)\tAny person who wilfully contravenes, or fails to comply with, any of the provisions of this Act (other than section 6) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a penalty not exceeding five thousand dollars.\n\t(2)\tProceedings for an offence against this Act shall be disposed of summarily.\n8—Regulations\nThe Governor may make such regulations as are contemplated by this Act, or as are necessary or expedient for the purposes of this Act.\nLegislative history\nNotes\n\t•\tPlease note—References in the legislation to other legislation or instruments or to titles of bodies or offices are not automatically updated as part of the program for the revision and publication of legislation and therefore may be obsolete.\n\t•\tEarlier versions of this Act (historical versions) are listed at the end of the legislative history.\n\t•\tFor further information relating to the Act and subordinate legislation made under the Act see the Index of South Australian Statutes or www.legislation.sa.gov.au.\nPrincipal Act and amendments\nNew entries appear in bold.\nYear\nNo\nTitle\nAssent\nCommencement\n1983\n35\nMembers of Parliament (Register of Interests) Act 1983\n16.6.1983\n16.6.1983\n1993\n64\nMembers of Parliament (Register of Interests) (Returns) Amendment Act 1993\n27.5.1993\n24.6.1993 (Gazette 24.6.1993 p2047)\n1994\n40\nStatutes Amendment (Constitution and Members Register of Interests) Act 1994\n2.6.1994\nPt 3 (s 7)—1.9.1994 (Gazette 1.9.1994 p614)\n2006\n43\nStatutes Amendment (Domestic Partners) Act 2006\n14.12.2006\nPt 55 (s 154)—1.6.2007 (Gazette 26.4.2007 p1352)\nProvisions amended\nNew entries appear in bold.\nProvision\nHow varied\nCommencement\ns 2\n\n\ns 2(1)\ns 2 redesignated as s 2(1) by 64/1993 s 3(h)\n24.6.1993\nbeneficial interest\ninserted by 64/1993 s 3(a)\n24.6.1993\ndomestic partner\ninserted by 43/2006 s 154(1)\n1.6.2007\nfamily\namended by 43/2006 s 154(2)\n1.6.2007\nfamily company\ninserted by 64/1993 s 3(b)\n24.6.1993\nfamily trust\ninserted by 64/1993 s 3(b)\n24.6.1993\nfinancial benefit\namended by 64/1993 s 3(c), (d)\n24.6.1993\ngift\ninserted by 64/1993 s 3(e)\n24.6.1993\na person related to a Member\ninserted by 64/1993 s 3(f)\n24.6.1993\nspouse\nsubstituted by 64/1993 s 3(g)\n24.6.1993\n\nsubstituted by 43/2006 s 154(3)\n1.6.2007\ns 2(2)—(4)\ninserted by 64/1993 s 3(h)\n24.6.1993\ns 4\n\n\ns 4(1)\namended by 64/1993 s 4(a)\n24.6.1993\ns 4(2)\namended by 64/1993 s 4(a)—(d)\n24.6.1993\n\namended by 40/1994 s 7(a)\n1.9.1994\ns 4(3)\namended by 64/1993 s 4(a), (c), (e)—(h)\n24.6.1993\ns 4(3a)\ninserted by 64/1993 s 4(i)\n24.6.1993\ns 4(4)\nsubstituted by 64/1993 s 4(i)\n24.6.1993\ns 4(4a)\ninserted by 40/1994 s 7(b)\n1.9.1994\ns 4(7)\namended by 64/1993 s 4(j)\n24.6.1993\nHistorical versions\nReprint No 1—24.6.1993\n\nReprint No 2—1.9.1994\n\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The legislation has expanded significantly beyond its original 1983 scope. The original Act appears to have covered basic income sources, land holdings, and memberships. The 1993 amendments (Act 64/1993) introduced major expansions: defined 'family companies' and 'family trusts', added 'financial benefit' and 'gift' definitions with specific thresholds, created the 'person related to a Member' concept extending disclosure to family entities, added aggregation rules for multiple transactions, and introduced the 'reasonable diligence' knowledge standard. The 1994 amendment added disclosure requirements for government contracts. The 2006 amendment modernised the family definition to include domestic partners. The Act has evolved from a simple register of direct personal interests to a comprehensive transparency regime capturing indirect interests through corporate structures, trusts, and family connections."},"complexity_factors":["15 defined terms in section 2(1), including nested definitions (e.g., 'family' depends on 'domestic partner' and 'spouse'; 'person related to a Member' depends on 'family', 'family company', and 'family trust')","Multiple monetary thresholds requiring calculation and aggregation ($1,000 for financial benefits, $750 for gifts/travel, $7,500 for debts/contracts, $10,000 for investments and loans owed to the Member)","Aggregation rules in section 2(4) that require treating multiple separate transactions as single transactions for disclosure purposes","Complex conditional disclosure requirements in section 4(2)(e) with three cumulative conditions (inadequate consideration, $750+ market value, non-related party)","Exceptions and carve-outs throughout (e.g., section 4(4) excludes trustees unless acting for family trusts; section 4(4a) allows class-based disclosure for commercial contracts; 'financial benefit' excludes parliamentary salaries)","Cross-references to external legislation (Family Relationships Act 1975 for domestic partner definition)","Dual structure with separate Registers and Registrars for each House of Parliament","Overlapping disclosure categories creating potential duplication (e.g., family companies appear in both 'person related to a Member' definition and specific disclosure requirements)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does:**\n\nThis Act creates a **Register of Interests** for South Australian Members of Parliament (MPs). It forces politicians to publicly declare their financial interests and other connections that might create conflicts between their private lives and public duties.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n- **Members of Parliament** — both Members of the House of Assembly and Legislative Councillors\n- **Their families** — spouses, domestic partners, and dependent children under 18\n- **The public** — who can inspect the Register to see what interests their representatives have\n\n**What MPs must disclose:**\n\n- **Income sources** — jobs, businesses, or paid positions (excluding their parliamentary salary)\n- **Investments** — shares, debentures, or deposits over $10,000 in companies\n- **Real estate** — land they own (other than as security for loans)\n- **Gifts** — anything worth $750+ received from non-family members\n- **Travel** — who paid for interstate trips costing $750+ (including accommodation)\n- **Debts** — money owed to or by non-family members over $7,500/$10,000\n- **Family companies and trusts** — where they or family members control more than half the votes or benefit\n- **Contracts with government** — deals with the State worth $7,500+\n- **Memberships** — political parties, trade unions, professional associations\n- **Any other substantial interest** that could conflict with public duty\n\n**How it works:**\n\n- MPs submit a **primary return** within 30 days of taking office\n- They submit **ordinary returns** annually by late August\n- The **Clerks of each House** maintain the Registers\n- The public can **inspect and copy** the Register\n- **Publishing restrictions** apply — summaries must be \"fair and accurate\" and \"in the public interest\"; malicious comments are banned\n- **Penalties** apply for non-compliance — up to $5,000 fines or 3 months imprisonment for improper publication\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThis is South Australia's **transparency and anti-corruption mechanism**. It lets voters see if their representatives have financial stakes in decisions they make in Parliament — for example, whether an MP voting on mining laws owns shares in mining companies, or whether a minister awarding contracts has family businesses bidding for them. The Register helps ensure politicians aren't secretly profiting from their public position."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act’s scope has been expanded since the original 1983 text by later amendments (notably 1993, 1994 and 2006). Those amendments added and broadened key definitions (e.g. beneficial interest, family company, family trust, gift, domestic partner) and expanded the set of matters and thresholds Members must disclose (for example the $750 thresholds for gifts/travel contributions and $7,500 threshold for Crown contracts) (see legislative history entries for 1993 No 64, 1994 No 40 and 2006 No 43). The additions increased the range of related persons and entities whose transactions must be reported and introduced new specific reporting obligations (contracts with the Crown, explicit donor naming above thresholds, investor/debtor thresholds), so the Act now covers more family‑linked vehicles and more categories of transactions than the original 1983 scheme."},"complexity_factors":["Short Act but many defined terms in s 2 (about 15 core definitions including domestic partner, family company, family trust, financial benefit, gift, income source, return period).","Multiple return types and timing rules (primary vs ordinary returns; return‑period calculations in s 2 and s 3).","Several monetary thresholds to trigger disclosure (e.g. $750, $7,500, $10,000) scattered through s 4, requiring cross‑checking.","Nested exceptions and qualifications (s 4(3a) limits disclosure to information known or reasonably ascertainable; s 4(4) and s 4(4a) create carve‑outs or alternative class disclosure).","Publication restrictions combine civil/criminal consequences with different tests inside and outside Parliament (s 6) — conditional logic on fairness, public interest and malice.","Cross‑references to other instruments and roles (e.g. Registrar definitions, Family Relationships Act referenced implicitly) and delegation to regulations (s 8)."],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does (mechanically)**\n\n- Creates a formal Register of Members' Interests for both Houses of the South Australian Parliament and requires Members to lodge standardised information about their private interests with the relevant Registrar (the Clerks of each House) (ss 2, 3, 5). \n- Requires two kinds of returns: a one-off primary return (on initial membership) and an ordinary annual return (s 3). Return timing and what counts as the return period are prescribed (s 2, s 3). \n- Prescribes the items Members must report in the returns, including sources of income, offices held in companies or associations, investments, land interests, gifts and travel contributions above set monetary thresholds, certain contracts with the Crown, indebtedness and substantial interests that might create conflicts (s 4(1)–(3), (2)(c),(d),(ea),(fa)). Key monetary thresholds include $750 (gifts, travel contributions, and certain use-of-property benefits), $7,500 (contracts with the Crown; indebtedness threshold in some cases), and $10,000 (amounts owed to the Member) (s 4). \n- Requires each Registrar to keep the Register, enter the returns, prepare and lay a compiled statement of returns before the relevant House, and allow members of the public to inspect and copy the Register (s 5). \n- Imposes limits and conditions on how information from the Register may be published: publications must be fair, accurate, published in the public interest, and (for comments) without malice; breaches inside Parliament are treated as contempt and outside Parliament may attract fines or imprisonment (s 6). \n- Creates offences and penalties for wilful non‑compliance with the Act (other than the publication restrictions), with summary disposal of proceedings (s 7). The Governor may make regulations for carrying the Act into effect (s 8).\n\n**Who it affects**\n\n- All sitting Members of the South Australian House of Assembly and Legislative Council (defined in s 2). \n- People related to Members: spouse/domestic partner, dependent children under 18 who live with the Member, family companies and family trusts, trustees, and other persons defined as \"a person related to a Member\" (s 2). \n- Donors, travel funders, lenders, creditors and contracting parties whose transactions with Members meet the prescribed thresholds (s 4). \n- The public and the media (because the Register is inspectable but publication is limited) (s 5, s 6). \n- The Registrars (Clerks), who decide how returns are recorded and compiled and who lay the compiled statements before Parliament (s 5).\n\n**Why it matters (official purpose and the practical mechanisms by which it aims to achieve that purpose)**\n\n- Officially, the Act establishes a disclosure regime intended to make Members’ private financial and other interests visible so that possible conflicts between private interests and public duties can be identified. It does this by (a) requiring regular, prescribed disclosure from Members (s 3–4) and (b) making that information available for public inspection and parliamentary oversight (s 5). \n\n**Practical effects, incentives, trade‑offs and costs**\n\n- Reporting burden on Members: Members must collect and submit specified information (s 3–4). The Act limits required disclosure to information known or reasonably ascertainable by the Member (s 4(3a)), and it allows Members to file updates at any time (s 4(5)), but obtaining, organising and certifying the information imposes time and record‑keeping costs. \n\n- Privacy and scope choices: the Act requires identification of donors, creditors and counterparties above thresholds (s 4(2)(c),(d),(ea),(3)(f),(fa)) but does not require disclosure of monetary amounts or the precise extent of interests (s 4(8)). That choice narrows some privacy intrusion but preserves less financial detail for public scrutiny. \n\n- Behavioural incentives for third parties: donors or organisations may adjust behaviour to avoid reporting thresholds (e.g. keeping contributions below $750 or structuring contracts below $7,500) because above‑threshold transactions must be named in returns (s 4). This creates a potential substitution effect where parties fragment benefits or restructure transactions. \n\n- Administrative discretion and timing: Registrars collate and publish compiled statements to Parliament (s 5(3)–(4)); the practical timeliness and completeness of those compilations depends on Registrars’ processes and Parliament’s sitting calendar. \n\n- Publication constraints and legal risk: the Act protects Members against unfair or malicious commentary by attaching criminal and civil penalties to improper publication (s 6). That reduces risks of reckless or malicious public disclosure but also raises legal risk for journalists, researchers or members of the public who want to publish extracts or commentary — they must satisfy the statutory tests of fairness, accuracy, public interest and absence of malice (s 6(1)). Inside Parliament, breaches are treated as contempt (s 6(2)); outside Parliament, there are monetary penalties and possible imprisonment for individuals or corporations that authorise improper publication (s 6(3)). \n\n- Enforcement and deterrence: wilful failure to comply (other than publication restrictions) is a criminal offence with a penalty up to $5,000 (s 7). The Act requires summary disposal of proceedings (s 7(2)), which speeds enforcement but limits the courtroom process to the summary jurisdiction. \n\n- Narrowing of disclosure obligations: the Act limits some kinds of required disclosure — for example, trustees need not be identified unless the trustee is related to the Member by reason of being trustee (s 4(4)), and Members need not disclose amounts (s 4(8)), which constrains the level of public detail. It also permits class disclosure (rather than itemised contracts) for ordinary commercial or arm’s‑length contracts with the Crown (s 4(4a)), reducing administrative burden for recurrent commercial dealings.\n\n**Who pays and who decides (summary)**\n\n- Members pay the compliance cost of identifying and lodging returns (s 3–4). \n- Third parties (donors, contractors, lenders) may change their behaviour to avoid thresholds and reporting (s 4). \n- Registrars (Clerks) decide how returns are recorded, compiled and laid before the House (s 5). \n- Courts and prosecuting authorities decide whether publication or non‑disclosure breaches have occurred and apply penalties (ss 6–7). \n\n**Key sections to consult for operational detail**\n\n- Definitions and thresholds: s 2 and s 4 (including s 4(2)(c)/(d)/(ea) and s 4(3)(f)/(fa)).\n- Filing duties and deadlines: s 3.\n- Public inspection and compilation duties: s 5.\n- Publication restrictions and penalties: s 6.\n- Penalties for non‑compliance: s 7.\n\n(Official explanatory material characterises the Act as a transparency and conflict‑of‑interest measure. Mechanically, the Act achieves that by mandating specified disclosures, public registers and penalties for non‑compliance, while also constraining some public disclosure by criminalising unfair or malicious publication; these are the concrete mechanisms and trade‑offs laid out in the sections cited.)"},"summary":{"complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Scope cannot be meaningfully assessed as no legislative text was provided. The page returned a navigation error rather than any bill, amendment, or enactment content. A proper scope assessment would require the full text of the Act and any amending legislation."},"complexity_factors":["No actual legislative text was retrievable — the source URL returned a 404 Page Not Found error","Analysis is based solely on general knowledge of the Act's title and historical purpose, not its current operative provisions","Complexity of the real Act cannot be assessed without access to its sections, schedules, definitions, and any amendments","The website migration on 24 March 2026 has broken legacy hyperlinks, creating an accessibility barrier to the source material"],"plain_english_summary":"The Members of Parliament (Register of Interests) Act 1983 requires South Australian MPs to publicly declare certain financial and personal interests (investments, property, business ties, gifts) in a formal register. It affects all state MPs, the public who rely on transparency, and those who lobby or do business with parliamentarians, serving to prevent conflicts of interest and promote accountability."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/members-of-parliament-register-of-interests-act-1983","history":"/api/acts/members-of-parliament-register-of-interests-act-1983/history","analysis":"/api/acts/members-of-parliament-register-of-interests-act-1983/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/members-of-parliament-register-of-interests-act-1983/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/members-of-parliament-register-of-interests-act-1983/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/members-of-parliament-register-of-interests-act-1983/documents"}}