{"id":"parliamentary-committees-act-1991","name":"Parliamentary Committees Act 1991","slug":"parliamentary-committees-act-1991","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"sa","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":106204,"registerId":"sa-parliamentary-committees-act-1991-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Parliamentary Committees Act 1991","content":"South Australia\nParliamentary Committees Act 1991\nAn Act to provide for the establishment of various Parliamentary committees; to define the functions, powers and duties of those committees; and for other purposes.\n\nContents\nPart 1—Preliminary\n1\tShort title\n3\tInterpretation\nPart 2—Economic and Finance Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n4\tEstablishment of Committee\n5\tMembership of Committee\nDivision 2—Functions of Economic and Finance Committee\n6\tFunctions of Committee\nPart 3—Environment, Resources and Development Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n7\tEstablishment of Committee\n8\tMembership of Committee\nDivision 2—Functions of Environment, Resources and Development Committee\n9\tFunctions of Committee\nPart 4—Legislative Review Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n10\tEstablishment of Committee\n11\tMembership of Committee\nDivision 2—Functions of Legislative Review Committee\n12\tFunctions of Committee\nPart 4A—Public Works Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n12A\tEstablishment of Committee\n12B\tMembership of Committee\nDivision 2—Functions of Public Works Committee\n12C\tFunctions of Committee\nPart 5—Social Development Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n13\tEstablishment of Committee\n14\tMembership of Committee\nDivision 2—Functions of Social Development Committee\n15\tFunctions of Committee\nPart 5A—Statutory Authorities Review Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n15A\tEstablishment of Committee\n15B\tMembership of Committee\nDivision 2—Functions of Statutory Authorities Review Committee\n15C\tFunctions of Committee\nPart 5B—Parliamentary Committee on Occupational Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n15D\tEstablishment of Committee\n15E\tMembership of Committee\nDivision 2—Functions of Committee\n15F\tFunctions of Committee\nPart 5C—Statutory Officers Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n15G\tEstablishment of Committee\n15H\tMembership of Committee\nDivision 2—Functions of Statutory Officers Committee\n15I\tFunctions of Committee\nPart 5D—Natural Resources Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n15J\tEstablishment of Committee\n15K\tMembership of Committee\nDivision 2—Functions of Committee\n15L\tFunctions of Committee\nPart 5E—Crime and Public Integrity Policy Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n15M\tEstablishment of Committee\n15N\tMembership of Committee\nDivision 2—Functions of Crime and Public Integrity Policy Committee\n15O\tFunctions of Committee\nPart 6—General provisions\nDivision 1—References, reports and Ministerial response\n16\tReferences to Committee\n16A\tCertain public works referred to Public Works Committee\n16B\tReferral of certain petitions to Committee\n17\tReports on matters referred\n18\tMatters may be remitted to Committee for further consideration\n19\tReference of Committee report to Minister for response\nDivision 2—Term of office, proceedings and powers of Committees\n20\tTerm of office of members\n21\tRemoval from and vacancies of office\n22\tValidity of acts of Committee despite vacancy\n24\tProcedure at meetings\n24A\tMeetings may be held remotely\n25\tSittings of Committee\n26\tAdmission of public\n27\tMinutes\n28\tPrivileges, immunities and powers\n29\tMembers not to take part in certain Committee proceedings\n30\tCommittee may continue references made to previously constituted Committee\n31\tImmunity from judicial review\nDivision 3—Miscellaneous\n32\tCo-ordination of Committees\n33\tOther assistance and facilities\n34\tOffice of Committee member not office of profit\n35\tFinancial provision\n36\tPowers of Parliament to establish other committees\nSchedule\nPart 3—Transitional provisions\nLegislative history\n\nThe Parliament of South Australia enacts as follows:\nPart 1—Preliminary\n1—Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991.\n3—Interpretation\nIn this Act, unless the contrary intention appears—\nappointing House or Houses means—\n\t(a)\tin relation to the Economic and Finance Committee or the Public Works Committee—the House of Assembly;\n\t(ab)\tin relation to the Statutory Authorities Review Committee—the Legislative Council;\n\t(b)\tin relation to any other Committee—both Houses,\nand appointing House, in relation to a member of a Committee, means the House that appointed the member to the Committee;\nCommittee means a Committee established under this Act;\nconstruction includes—\n\t(a)\tthe making of any repairs or improvements or other physical changes to any building, structure or land; and\n\t(b)\tthe acquisition and installation of fixtures, plant or equipment when carried out as part of, or in conjunction with, the construction of a work,\nand construct has a corresponding meaning;\nHouse means—\n\t(a)\tthe House of Assembly; or\n\t(b)\tthe Legislative Council;\nland includes an area covered by the sea or other water;\nPresiding Member, in relation to a Committee, means the person appointed to be the Presiding Member of the Committee;\nPresiding Officer, in relation to a House, means the Speaker of the House of Assembly or the President of the Legislative Council;\npublicly funded body means any body that is financed wholly or partly out of public funds;\npublic officer means a person holding or acting in, a public office or position established by or under an Act or otherwise by the Government of the State, but does not include—\n\t(a)\ta member or officer of the Parliament; or\n\t(b)\ta member or officer of a court or tribunal; or\n\t(c)\ta member or officer of a council or other local government body,\nand public office has a corresponding meaning;\npublic sector operations means all operations and activities carried on by public officers or State instrumentalities;\npublic work means any work that is proposed to be constructed where—\n\t(a)\tthe whole or a part of the cost of construction of the work is to be met from money provided or to be provided by Parliament or a State instrumentality; or\n\t(b)\tthe work is to be constructed by or on behalf of the Crown or a State instrumentality; or\n\t(c)\tthe work is to be constructed on land of the Crown or a State instrumentality;\nregulation means any form of prohibition, restriction or control imposed by legislation or by or on behalf of the State;\nState instrumentality means an agency or instrumentality of the Crown and includes—\n\t(a)\tan administrative unit of the Public Service; and\n\t(b)\ta statutory authority,\nbut does not include—\n\t(c)\ta body wholly comprised of members of Parliament; or\n\t(d)\ta court or tribunal; or\n\t(e)\ta council or other local government body;\nstatutory authority means a body corporate that is established by an Act and—\n\t(a)\tis comprised of or includes, or has a governing body comprised of or including, persons or a person appointed by the Governor, a Minister or an agency or instrumentality of the Crown; or\n\t(b)\tis subject to control or direction by a Minister; or\n\t(c)\tis financed wholly or partly out of public funds,\nand includes a company or other body corporate that is a subsidiary of, or controlled by, such a body corporate, but does not include—\n\t(d)\ta body wholly comprised of members of Parliament; or\n\t(e)\ta council or other local government authority;\nsubordinate legislation means regulations as defined in the Subordinate Legislation Act 1978 and any other enactment of a legislative character to which section 10A of that Act applies;\nwork means any building or structure or any repairs or improvements or other physical changes to any building, structure or land.\nPart 2—Economic and Finance Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n4—Establishment of Committee\nThe Economic and Finance Committee is established as a committee of Parliament.\n5—Membership of Committee\n\t(1)\tThe Committee is to consist of seven members of the House of Assembly appointed by the House of Assembly.\n\t(2)\tA Minister of the Crown is not eligible for appointment to the Committee.\n\t(3)\tThe Committee must from time to time appoint one of its members to be the Presiding Member of the Committee but if the members are at any time unable to come to a decision on who is to be the Presiding Member, or on who is to preside at a meeting of the Committee in the absence of the Presiding Member, the matter is referred by force of this subsection to the House of Assembly and that House will determine the matter.\nDivision 2—Functions of Economic and Finance Committee\n6—Functions of Committee\nThe functions of the Economic and Finance Committee are—\n\t(a)\tto inquire into, consider and report on such of the following matters as are referred to it under this Act:\n\t(i)\tany matter concerned with finance or economic development;\n\t(ii)\tany matter concerned with the structure, organisation and efficiency of any area of public sector operations or the ways in which efficiency and service delivery might be enhanced in any area of public sector operations;\n\t(iii)\tany matter concerned with the functions or operations of a particular public officer or a particular State instrumentality or publicly funded body (other than a statutory authority) or whether a particular public office or particular State instrumentality (other than a statutory authority) should continue to exist or whether changes should be made to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the area;\n\t(iv)\tany matter concerned with regulation of business or other economic or financial activity or whether such regulation should be retained or modified in any area;\n\t(ab)\tto inquire into, consider and report on petitions referred to it under section 16B;\n\t(b)\tto perform such other functions as are imposed on the Committee under this or any other Act or by resolution of both Houses.\nPart 3—Environment, Resources and Development Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n7—Establishment of Committee\nThe Environment, Resources and Development Committee is established as a committee of Parliament.\n8—Membership of Committee\n\t(1)\tThe Committee is to consist of six members.\n\t(2)\tThree members of the Committee must be members of the House of Assembly appointed by the House of Assembly and three must be members of the Legislative Council appointed by the Legislative Council.\n\t(3)\tA Minister of the Crown is not eligible for appointment to the Committee.\n\t(4)\tThe Committee must from time to time appoint one of its House of Assembly members to be the Presiding Member of the Committee but if the members are at any time unable to come to a decision on who is to be the Presiding Member, or on who is to preside at a meeting of the Committee in the absence of the Presiding Member, the matter is referred by force of this subsection to the House of Assembly and that House will determine the matter.\nDivision 2—Functions of Environment, Resources and Development Committee\n9—Functions of Committee\nThe functions of the Environment, Resources and Development Committee are—\n\t(a)\tto inquire into, consider and report on such of the following matters as are referred to it under this Act:\n\t(i)\tany matter concerned with the environment or how the quality of the environment might be protected or improved;\n\t(ii)\tany matter concerned with the resources of the State or how they might be better conserved or utilised;\n\t(iii)\tany matter concerned with planning, land use or transportation;\n\t(iv)\tany matter concerned with the general development of the State;\n\t(ab)\tto inquire into, consider and report on petitions referred to it under section 16B;\n\t(b)\tto perform such other functions as are imposed on the Committee under this or any other Act or by resolution of both Houses.\nPart 4—Legislative Review Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n10—Establishment of Committee\nThe Legislative Review Committee is established as a committee of Parliament.\n11—Membership of Committee\n\t(1)\tThe Committee is to consist of six members.\n\t(2)\tThree members of the Committee must be members of the House of Assembly appointed by the House of Assembly and three must be members of the Legislative Council appointed by the Legislative Council.\n\t(3)\tA Minister of the Crown is not eligible for appointment to the Committee.\n\t(4)\tThe Committee must from time to time appoint one of its Legislative Council members to be the Presiding Member of the Committee but if the members are at any time unable to come to a decision on who is to be the Presiding Member, or on who is to preside at a meeting of the Committee in the absence of the Presiding Member, the matter is referred by force of this subsection to the Legislative Council and that House will determine that matter.\nDivision 2—Functions of Legislative Review Committee\n12—Functions of Committee\nThe functions of the Legislative Review Committee are—\n\t(a)\tto inquire into, consider and report on such of the following matters as are referred to it under this Act:\n\t(i)\tany matter concerned with legal, constitutional or parliamentary reform or with the administration of justice but excluding any matter concerned with joint standing orders of Parliament or the standing orders or rules of practice of either House;\n\t(ii)\tany Act or subordinate legislation, or part of any Act or subordinate legislation, in respect of which provision has been made for its expiry at some future time and whether it should be allowed to expire or continue in force with or without modification or be replaced by new provisions;\n\t(iii)\tany matter concerned with inter-governmental relations;\n\t(b)\tto inquire into, consider and report on subordinate legislation referred to it by the Subordinate Legislation Act 1978;\n\t(ba)\tto inquire into, consider and report on petitions referred to it under section 16B;\n\t(c)\tto perform such other functions as are imposed on the Committee under this or any other Act or by resolution of both Houses.\nPart 4A—Public Works Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n12A—Establishment of Committee\nThe Public Works Committee is established as a committee of the Parliament.\n12B—Membership of Committee\n\t(1)\tSubject to subsection (1a), the Committee is to consist of six members of the House of Assembly appointed by the House of Assembly.\n\t(1a)\tOn and from the first sitting day of the House of Assembly following the next general election of members of the House of Assembly after the commencement of this subsection the Committee is to consist of five members of the House of Assembly appointed by the House of Assembly.\n\t(2)\tA Minister of the Crown is not eligible for appointment to the Committee.\n\t(3)\tThe Committee must from time to time appoint one of its members to be the Presiding Member of the Committee but if the members are at any time unable to come to a decision on who is to be the Presiding Member, or on who is to preside at a meeting of the Committee in the absence of the Presiding Member, the matter is referred by force of this subsection to the House of Assembly and that House will determine the matter.\nDivision 2—Functions of Public Works Committee\n12C—Functions of Committee\nThe functions of the Public Works Committee are—\n\t(a)\tto inquire into, consider and report on any public work referred to it by or under this Act, including—\n\t(i)\tthe stated purpose of the work;\n\t(ii)\tthe necessity or advisability of constructing it;\n\t(iii)\twhere the work purports to be of a revenue-producing character, the revenue that it might reasonably be expected to produce;\n\t(iv)\tthe present and prospective public value of the work;\n\t(v)\tthe recurrent or whole-of-life costs associated with the work, including costs arising out of financial arrangements;\n\t(vi)\tthe estimated net effect on the Consolidated Account or the funds of a statutory authority of the construction and proposed use of the work;\n\t(vii)\tthe efficiency and progress of construction of the work and the reasons for any expenditure beyond the estimated costs of its construction;\n\t(ab)\tto inquire into, consider and report on petitions referred to it under section 16B;\n\t(b)\tto perform such other functions as are imposed on the Committee under this or any other Act or by resolution of both Houses.\nPart 5—Social Development Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n13—Establishment of Committee\nThe Social Development Committee is established as a committee of Parliament.\n14—Membership of Committee\n\t(1)\tThe Committee is to consist of—\n\t(a)\tuntil the commencement of the first session of the 53rd Parliament—8 members;\n\t(b)\tthereafter—6 members.\n\t(2)\tHalf of the members of the Committee must be members of the House of Assembly appointed by the House of Assembly and half must be members of the Legislative Council appointed by the Legislative Council.\n\t(3)\tA Minister of the Crown is not eligible for appointment to the Committee.\n\t(4)\tThe Committee must from time to time appoint 1 of its Legislative Council members to be the Presiding Member of the Committee but if the members are at any time unable to come to a decision on who is to be the Presiding Member, or on who is to preside at a meeting of the Committee in the absence of the Presiding Member, the matter is referred by force of this subsection to the Legislative Council and that House will determine the matter.\nDivision 2—Functions of Social Development Committee\n15—Functions of Committee\nThe functions of the Social Development Committee are—\n\t(a)\tto inquire into, consider and report on such of the following matters as are referred to it under this Act:\n\t(i)\tany matter concerned with the health, welfare or education of the people of the State;\n\t(ii)\tany matter concerned with occupational safety or industrial relations;\n\t(iii)\tany matter concerned with the arts, recreation or sport or the cultural or physical development of the people of the State;\n\t(iv)\tany matter concerned with the quality of life of communities, families or individuals in the State or how that quality of life might be improved;\n\t(ab)\tto inquire into, consider and report on petitions referred to it under section 16B;\n\t(b)\tto perform such other functions as are imposed on the Committee under this or any other Act or by resolution of both Houses.\nPart 5A—Statutory Authorities Review Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n15A—Establishment of Committee\nThe Statutory Authorities Review Committee is established as a committee of the Parliament.\n15B—Membership of Committee\n\t(1)\tThe Committee is to consist of five members of the Legislative Council appointed by the Legislative Council.\n\t(2)\tA Minister of the Crown is not eligible for appointment to the Committee.\n\t(3)\tThe Committee must from time to time appoint one of its members to be the Presiding Member of the Committee but if the members are at any time unable to come to a decision on who is to be the Presiding Member, or on who is to preside at a meeting of the Committee in the absence of the Presiding Member, the matter is referred by force of this subsection to the Legislative Council and that House will determine the matter.\nDivision 2—Functions of Statutory Authorities Review Committee\n15C—Functions of Committee\nThe functions of the Statutory Authorities Review Committee are—\n\t(a)\tto inquire into, consider and report on any statutory authority referred to it under this Act, including—\n\t(i)\tthe need for the authority to continue in existence;\n\t(ii)\tthe functions of the authority and the need for the authority to continue to perform those functions;\n\t(iii)\tthe net effect of the authority and its operations on the finances of the State;\n\t(iv)\twhether the authority and its operations provide the most effective, efficient and economical means for achieving the purposes for which the authority was established;\n\t(v)\twhether the structure of the authority is appropriate to its functions;\n\t(vi)\twhether the functions or operations of the statutory authority duplicate or overlap in any respect the functions or operations of another authority, body or person;\n\t(ab)\tto inquire into, consider and report on petitions referred to it under section 16B;\n\t(b)\tto perform such other functions as are imposed on the Committee under this or any other Act or by resolution of both Houses.\nPart 5B—Parliamentary Committee on Occupational Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n15D—Establishment of Committee\nThe Parliamentary Committee on Occupational Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation is established as a Parliamentary committee.\n15E—Membership of Committee\n\t(1)\tThe Committee consists of six members.\n\t(2)\tThree members of the Committee must be members of the House of Assembly appointed by the House of Assembly and three must be members of the Legislative Council appointed by the Legislative Council.\n\t(3)\tThe members of the Committee are not entitled to remuneration for their work as members of the Committee.\n\t(4)\tThe Committee must from time to time appoint one of its House of Assembly members to be the Presiding Member of the Committee but if the members are at any time unable to come to a decision on who is to be the Presiding Member, or on who is to preside at a meeting of the Committee in the absence of the Presiding Member, the matter is referred by force of this subsection to the House of Assembly and that House will determine the matter.\nDivision 2—Functions of Committee\n15F—Functions of Committee\nThe functions of the Committee are—\n\t(a)\tto keep the administration and operation of the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Act 1986, the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1986, and other legislation affecting occupational health, safety or welfare, or occupational rehabilitation or compensation, under continuous review; and\n\t(b)\tto examine and make recommendations to the Executive and to Parliament about proposed regulations under any of the legislation mentioned in paragraph (a), and in particular regulations that may allow for the performance of statutory functions by private bodies or persons; and\n\t(ba)\tto inquire into, consider and report on petitions referred to it under section 16B; and\n\t(c)\tto perform other functions assigned to the Committee under this or any other Act or by resolution of either House of Parliament.\nPart 5C—Statutory Officers Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n15G—Establishment of Committee\nThe Statutory Officers Committee is established as a committee of the Parliament.\n15H—Membership of Committee\n\t(1)\tThe Committee consists of 6 members of whom—\n\t(a)\t3 must be members of the House of Assembly appointed by the House of Assembly, of whom—\n\t(i)\tat least 1 must be appointed from the group led by the Leader of the Opposition; and\n\t(ii)\tat least 1 must be appointed from the group led by the Leader of the Government; and\n\t(iii)\tat least 1 must be a member who does not belong to the group led by the Leader of the Opposition or the group led by the Leader of the Government (unless there is no such member or no such member consents to appointment to the Committee); and\n\t(b)\t3 must be members of the Legislative Council appointed by the Legislative Council, of whom—\n\t(i)\tat least 1 must be appointed from the group led by the Leader of the Opposition; and\n\t(ii)\tat least 1 must be appointed from the group led by the Leader of the Government; and\n\t(iii)\tat least 1 must be a member who does not belong to the group led by the Leader of the Opposition or the group led by the Leader of the Government (unless there is no such member or no such member consents to appointment to the Committee).\n\t(1a)\tA Minister of the Crown is not eligible for appointment to the Committee.\n\t(2)\tThe members of the Committee are not entitled to remuneration for their work as members of the Committee.\n\t(3)\tThe Committee must from time to time appoint one of its Legislative Council members to be the Presiding Member of the Committee but if the members are at any time unable to come to a decision on who is to be the Presiding Member, or on who is to preside at a meeting of the Committee in the absence of the Presiding Member, the matter is referred by force of this subsection to the Legislative Council and that House will determine the matter.\nDivision 2—Functions of Statutory Officers Committee\n15I—Functions of Committee\n\t(1)\tThe functions of the Statutory Officers Committee are—\n\t(a)\tto inquire into, consider and report—\n\t(i)\ton a suitable person for appointment to an office under an Act vacancies in which are to be filled by appointment on the recommendation of both Houses; and\n\t(ii)\ton other matters relating to the performance of the functions of that office (unless another Committee has the function of inquiring into, considering and reporting on the performance of those functions); and\n\t(iii)\ton any other matter referred to the Committee by the Minister responsible for the administration of any such Act; and\n\t(ab)\tto inquire into, consider and report on petitions referred to it under section 16B; and\n\t(b)\tto perform other functions assigned to the Committee under this or any other Act or by resolution of both Houses.\n\t(2)\tMatters disclosed to or considered by the Committee for the purposes of determining a suitable person for appointment to a statutory office must not be made the subject of public disclosure or comment.\n\t(3)\tIn considering matters relating to the performance of functions of a statutory office, the Committee must not engage in a review of any particular decision of a person occupying the office.\nPart 5D—Natural Resources Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n15J—Establishment of Committee\nThe Natural Resources Committee is established as a committee of the Parliament.\n15K—Membership of Committee\n\t(1)\tThe Committee is to consist of—\n\t(a)\tuntil the commencement of the first session of the 53rd Parliament—9 members;\n\t(b)\tthereafter—7 members.\n\t(2)\tThe membership of the Committee must be determined as follows:\n\t(a)\tuntil the commencement of the first session of the 53rd Parliament—6 members of the Committee must be members of the House of Assembly appointed by the House of Assembly and 3 must be members of the Legislative Council appointed by the Legislative Council;\n\t(b)\tthereafter—4 members of the Committee must be members of the House of Assembly appointed by the House of Assembly and 3 must be members of the Legislative Council appointed by the Legislative Council.\n\t(3)\tA Minister of the Crown is eligible to be a member of the Committee, and section 21(2)(e) does not apply in relation to the members of the Committee.\n\t(4)\tThe Committee must from time to time appoint 1 of its House of Assembly members to be the Presiding Member of the Committee but if the members are at any time unable to come to a decision on who is to be the Presiding Member, or on who is to preside at a meeting of the Committee in the absence of the Presiding Member, the matter is referred by force of this subsection to the House of Assembly and that House will determine the matter.\nDivision 2—Functions of Committee\n15L—Functions of Committee\n\t(1)\tThe functions of the Committee are—\n\t(a)\tto take an interest in and keep under review—\n\t(i)\tthe protection, improvement and enhancement of the natural resources of the State; and\n\t(ii)\tthe extent to which it is possible to adopt an integrated approach to the use and management of the natural resources of the State that accords with principles of ecologically sustainable use, development and protection; and\n\t(iii)\tthe operation of any Act that is relevant to the use, protection, management or enhancement of the natural resources of the State; and\n\t(iv)\twithout limiting the operation of a preceding subparagraph—the extent to which the objects of the Landscape South Australia Act 2019 are being achieved; and\n\t(b)\twithout limiting the operation of paragraph (a), with respect to the River Murray—\n\t(i)\tto consider the extent to which the Objectives for a Healthy River Murray are being achieved under the River Murray Act 2003; and\n\t(ii)\tto consider and report on each review of the River Murray Act 2003 undertaken under section 11 of that Act by the Minister to whom the administration of that Act has been committed; and\n\t(iii)\tto consider the interaction between the River Murray Act 2003 and other Acts and, in particular, to consider the report in each annual report under that Act on the referral of matters under related operational Acts to the Minister under that Act; and\n\t(iv)\tat the end of the second year of operation of the River Murray Act 2003, to inquire into and report on—\n\t(A)\tthe operation of subsection (5) of section 22 of that Act, insofar as it has applied with respect to any Development Plan Amendment under the Development Act 1993 referred to the Governor under that subsection; and\n\t(B)\tthe operation of section 24(3) of the Development Act 1993; and\n\t(ba)\tto inquire into, consider and report on petitions referred to it under section 16B; and\n\t(c)\tto perform such other functions as are imposed on the Committee under this or any other Act or by resolution of both Houses.\n\t(2)\tIn this section—\nnatural resources includes—\n\t(a)\tsoil;\n\t(b)\twater resources;\n\t(c)\tgeological features and landscapes;\n\t(d)\tnative vegetation, native animals and other native organisms;\n\t(e)\tecosystems.\nPart 5E—Crime and Public Integrity Policy Committee\nDivision 1—Establishment and membership of Committee\n15M—Establishment of Committee\nThe Crime and Public Integrity Policy Committee is established as a committee of the Parliament.\n15N—Membership of Committee\n\t(1)\tThe Committee consists of 6 members of whom—\n\t(a)\t3 must be members of the House of Assembly appointed by the House of Assembly (of whom at least 1 must be appointed from the group led by the Leader of the Opposition and at least 1 must be appointed from the group led by the Leader of the Government); and\n\t(b)\t3 must be members of the Legislative Council appointed by the Legislative Council (of whom at least 1 must be appointed from the group led by the Leader of the Opposition and at least 1 must be appointed from the group led by the Leader of the Government).\n\t(2)\tA Minister of the Crown is not eligible for appointment to the Committee.\n\t(3)\tThe members of the Committee are not entitled to remuneration for their work as members of the Committee.\n\t(4)\tThe Committee must from time to time appoint 1 of its Legislative Council members to be the Presiding Member of the Committee but if the members are at any time unable to come to a decision on who is to be the Presiding Member, or on who is to preside at a meeting of the Committee in the absence of the Presiding Member, the matter is referred by force of this subsection to the Legislative Council and that House will determine the matter.\nDivision 2—Functions of Crime and Public Integrity Policy Committee\n15O—Functions of Committee\n\t(1)\tThe functions of the Crime and Public Integrity Policy Committee are—\n\t(a)\tto examine—\n\t(i)\teach annual and other report laid before both Houses prepared by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, the Director of the Office of Public Integrity, the Commissioner of Police or the Ombudsman; and\n\t(ii)\teach report on a review under section 46 of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 2012; and\n\t(iii)\teach report laid before both Houses under the Police Act 1998, the Serious and Organised Crime (Control) Act 2008 or the Serious and Organised Crime (Unexplained Wealth) Act 2009; and\n\t(b)\tto inquire into and consider the operation of—\n\t(i)\tthe Serious and Organised Crime (Control) Act 2008; and\n\t(ii)\tthe Serious and Organised Crime (Unexplained Wealth) Act 2009; and\n\t(iia)\tthe Police Complaints and Discipline Act 2016; and\n\t(iii)\tinsofar as they are concerned with serious crime, criminal organisations or proceedings under an Act referred to in a preceding subparagraph, the Bail Act 1985, the Controlled Substances Act 1984, the Sentencing Act 2017, the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935, the Evidence Act 1929, the Juries Act 1927, the Summary Offences Act 1953 and the Criminal Procedure Act 1921,\nand, in particular—\n\t(iv)\thow effective those Acts have been in disrupting and restricting the activities of organisations involved in serious crime and protecting members of the public from violence associated with such organisations; and\n\t(v)\twhether the operation of those Acts has adversely affected persons not involved in serious crime to an unreasonable extent; and\n\t(vi)\twhether the operation of those Acts has made an appreciable difference to the prevention or minimisation of the activities of organisations involved in serious crime; and\n\t(vii)\tthe effect of the amendments made by the Statutes Amendment (Serious and Organised Crime) Act 2012; and\n\t(c)\tto inquire into and consider (at least once every 5 years) the operation of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 2012 and, in particular—\n\t(i)\tthe performance of functions and exercise of powers by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, the Office for Public Integrity and the Inspector appointed under that Act; and\n\t(ii)\twhether the operation of the Act has adversely affected persons not involved in corruption to an unreasonable extent; and\n\t(d)\tto inquire into and consider the performance of functions and exercise of powers by the Ombudsman under the Ombudsman Act 1972 or any other Act; and\n\t(e)\tto report to both Houses on any matter of public policy arising out of an examination of a report or an inquiry (including any recommendation for change) as the Committee considers appropriate; and\n\t(ea)\tto inquire into, consider and report on petitions referred to it under section 16B; and\n\t(f)\tto perform other functions assigned to the Committee under this or any other Act or by resolution of both Houses.\n\t(2)\tThe Independent Commission Against Corruption must not disclose to the Crime and Public Integrity Policy Committee information that identifies, or could tend to identify, a person or body (whether incorporated or unincorporated) who is, or has been, the subject of a complaint, report, assessment, investigation or referral under the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 2012 or has provided information or other evidence under that Act, unless the information disclosed to the Committee is already a matter of public knowledge or the Committee require disclosure of the information in accordance with subsection (4).\n\t(3)\tExcept as provided in subsection (4), nothing in this section authorises the Crime and Public Integrity Policy Committee—\n\t(a)\tto investigate a matter relating to particular conduct; or\n\t(b)\tto obtain—\n\t(i)\tinformation classified as criminal intelligence under an Act; or\n\t(ii)\tinformation the release of which—\n\t(A)\tmay, in the opinion of the Commissioner of Police, prejudice a South Australia Police investigation; or\n\t(B)\tmay, in the opinion of a person in charge of an investigation being carried out by another body established for law enforcement purposes, prejudice the investigation; or\n\t(c)\tto reconsider a decision of the Independent Commission Against Corruption or any other person or body in relation to a particular matter.\n\t(4)\tThe Crime and Public Integrity Policy Committee may inquire into the processes, procedures or practices applied by the Commission or the Inspector under the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 2012 and the Committee may require the disclosure of any information it thinks necessary for that purpose. \nPart 6—General provisions\nDivision 1—References, reports and Ministerial response\n16—References to Committee\n\t(1)\tAny matter that is relevant to the functions of a Committee may be referred to the Committee—\n\t(a)\tby resolution of the Committee's appointing House or Houses, or either of the Committee's appointing Houses; or\n\t(b)\tby the Governor, by notice published in the Gazette; or\n\t(c)\tof the Committee's own motion.\n\t(2)\tSubsection (1) is in addition to and does not derogate from a provision of this or any other Act by or under which a matter is or may be referred to a Committee.\n16A—Certain public works referred to Public Works Committee\n\t(1)\tSubject to subsection (3), a public work is referred to the Public Works Committee by force of this section if the total amount to be applied for the construction of the work will, when all stages of construction are complete, exceed $4 000 000.\n\t(2)\tNo amount may be applied for the actual construction of a public work referred to in subsection (1) unless the work has first been inquired into by the Public Works Committee under this Act and the final report of that Committee on the work has been presented to its appointing House or published under section 17(7).\n\t(3)\tThe Minister may exempt a public work from the operation of subsection (1) if—\n\t(a)\tthe whole or a part of the cost of construction of the work is to be met from money provided by the Superannuation Funds Management Corporation of South Australia; or\n\t(b)\tthe work is to be constructed by or on behalf of the Superannuation Funds Management Corporation of South Australia,\n(whether or not the work is to be constructed on land of the Crown or the Superannuation Funds Management Corporation of South Australia).\n16B—Referral of certain petitions to Committee\n\t(1)\tThe House of Assembly or the Legislative Council must, on presentation of an eligible petition by a member of the relevant House, refer the petition to an appropriate Committee.\n\t(2)\tIn this section—\neligible petition means a petition of not less than 10 000 signatures that complies with any relevant requirements of the Standing Orders of the House in which it is presented or the Joint Standing Orders (as the case may require).\n17—Reports on matters referred\n\t(1)\tA Committee must, after inquiring into and considering any matter referred to it by or under this or any other Act, report on the matter to its appointing House or Houses.\n\t(2)\tA Committee's appointing House or Houses may, when referring a matter to the Committee, fix a period within which the Committee is required to present a final report to the House or Houses on that matter.\n\t(3)\tA Committee must in carrying out its functions—\n\t(a)\tgive priority, so far as it is practicable to do so—\n\t(i)\tfirstly, to the matters referred to it by this Act or by or under any other Act;\n\t(ii)\tsecondly, to the matters referred to it by its appointing House or Houses,\nand then deal with any other matters before the Committee in such order as it thinks fit; and\n\t(b)\tcomply with any limitation of time fixed under subsection (2).\n\t(4)\tA Committee may, if it thinks fit, at any time prior to making a final report on a matter referred to it—\n\t(a)\tmake one or more interim reports on the matter to its appointing House or Houses;\n\t(b)\tpublish a document relating to the matter.\n\t(5)\tA Committee may include in a report a draft Bill to give effect to any recommendation of the Committee.\n\t(6)\tIf requested to do so by a member of the Committee, a Committee must include in a report a minority report on behalf of that member.\n\t(7)\tIf more than 14 days would elapse from the day on which a report of a Committee (whether a final report or interim report) is adopted by the Committee until the next sitting day of the Committee's appointing House or Houses—\n\t(a)\tthe Committee may present the report to the Presiding Officer or Officers of the Committee's appointing House or Houses; and\n\t(b)\tthe Presiding Officer or Officers may, after consultation with the Committee, authorise the publication of the report prior to its presentation to the Committee's appointing House or Houses.\n\t(8)\tA report of a Committee or other document that is published under this section will be taken for the purposes of any other Act or law to be a report or paper of Parliament published under the authority of the Committee's appointing House or Houses.\n18—Matters may be remitted to Committee for further consideration\nOn a report being presented by a Committee to its appointing House or Houses, the House or Houses may, by resolution, remit the matter or any of the matters to which the report relates to the Committee for its further consideration and report and, in that event, the Committee must consider the matter and report on it accordingly.\n19—Reference of Committee report to Minister for response\n\t(1)\tSubject to subsection (1a), on a report being presented by a Committee to its appointing House or Houses, the report or a part of the report is, if the report contains a recommendation to that effect, referred by force of this section to the Minister with responsibility in the area concerned for that Minister's response.\n\t(1a)\tIn the case of a report relating to a petition referred to a Committee under section 16B, the report is referred by force of this section to the Minister with primary responsibility in the area to which the petition relates for that Minister's response.\n\t(2)\tWhere a report, or part of a report, is referred to the responsible Minister under this section, the Minister must, within four months, respond to the report or part of the report and include in the response statements as to—\n\t(a)\twhich (if any) recommendations of the Committee will be carried out and the manner in which they will be carried out; and\n\t(b)\twhich (if any) recommendations will not be carried out and the reasons for not carrying them out.\n\t(3)\tThe following provisions apply in relation to the response of a Minister to a Committee report:\n\t(a)\tin the case of a response relating to a petition referred to a Committee under section 16B—the prescribed Minister in each House must, within 6 sitting days after the response is made—\n\t(i)\taddress the House and explain what, if any, action is to be taken in relation to the petition (whether by the prescribed Minister or otherwise); and\n\t(ii)\tif no action is to be taken in relation to the petition (whether by the prescribed Minister or otherwise), the reasons for that fact;\n\t(b)\tin any other case—the Minister must cause a copy of the response to be laid before the Committee's appointing House or Houses within 6 sitting days after it is made.\n\t(4)\tIn this section—\nprescribed Minister, in relation to a response referred to in subsection (3)(a), means—\n\t(a)\tin the House in which the Minister to whom the report of a Committee is referred under subsection (1a) sits—that Minister; or\n\t(b)\tin the other House—the Premier or the leader of Government business in the Legislative Council (as the case requires).\nDivision 2—Term of office, proceedings and powers of Committees\n20—Term of office of members\n\t(2)\tThe members of each Committee must be appointed as soon as practicable after the commencement of the first session of each new Parliament.\n\t(3)\tSubject to this Act, a member of a Committee holds office until the first sitting day of the member's appointing House following the next general election of members of the House of Assembly.\n21—Removal from and vacancies of office\n\t(1)\tA member of a Committee may be removed from office by the member's appointing House.\n\t(2)\tA person ceases to be a member of a Committee if the person—\n\t(a)\tdies; or\n\t(b)\tresigns from the Committee by notice in writing to the Presiding Officer of his or her appointing House; or\n\t(c)\tcompletes a term of office and is not reappointed; or\n\t(d)\tceases to be a member of his or her appointing House; or\n\t(e)\tis a Minister of the Crown; or\n\t(f)\tis removed from office by his or her appointing House.\n\t(3)\tOn the office of a member of a Committee becoming vacant otherwise than on the expiration of his or her term of office, the member's appointing House must, as soon as practicable, appoint one of its members to the Committee.\n\t(4)\tSubject to this Act, a member of a Committee is eligible for reappointment to the Committee on the expiration of his or her term of office.\n22—Validity of acts of Committee despite vacancy\nAn act or proceeding of a Committee is not invalid by reason of a vacancy in its membership.\n24—Procedure at meetings\n\t(1)\tThe Presiding Member of a Committee must preside at meetings of the Committee or, in the absence of the Presiding Member from a meeting, the members present must decide who is to preside at the meeting.\n\t(2)\tThe number of members of a Committee that constitute a quorum of the Committee is—\n\t(a)\tif the Committee consists of 5 members—3 members (at least 1 of whom must have been appointed to the Committee from the group led by the Leader of the Opposition in the Committee's appointing House); and\n\t(b)\tif the Committee consists of 6 or 7 members—4 members; and\n\t(c)\tif the Committee consists of 8 or 9 members—5 members.\n\t(2a)\tNo business may be transacted at a meeting of a Committee unless a quorum is present.\n\t(3)\tA decision carried by a majority of the votes of the members present at a meeting of a Committee is a decision of the Committee.\n\t(4)\tThe Presiding Member or any other member presiding at a meeting of the Committee has, in addition to a deliberative vote, a casting vote in the event of an equality of votes.\n\t(5)\tSubject to this Act and any other Act, the Committee is to conduct its business—\n\t(a)\tto the extent that the Standing Orders of its appointing House or Joint Standing Orders (as the case may be) apply—in accordance with those Orders; and\n\t(b)\totherwise in such manner as the Committee thinks fit.\n24A—Meetings may be held remotely\nDespite any other provision of this Act—\n\t(a)\ta requirement for a committee to hold any meeting will be taken to be satisfied if the meeting is held remotely using 1 or more of (including a combination of) the following means of communication:\n\t(i)\taudio visual;\n\t(ii)\taudio; and\n\t(b)\ta requirement for members of a committee to attend or be present at any meeting will be taken to be satisfied if—\n\t(i)\teach participating member is able to communicate contemporaneously with each other participating member when making any deliberation, or taking part in any vote, during the meeting; and\n\t(ii)\twhen a witness gives oral evidence to the committee, the members of the committee constituting a quorum are able to hear the witness contemporaneously and question the witness within the hearing of each other committee member constituting the quorum.\n25—Sittings of Committee\n\t(1)\tA Committee may sit and transact business during any recess or adjournment of Parliament and during an interval between Parliaments but may not sit while the appointing House or either of the appointing Houses for the Committee is sitting except by the leave of that House.\n\t(2)\tSubject to subsection (1), a Committee may sit at any time and at any place and may adjourn its meetings from time to time and from place to place.\n26—Admission of public\nExcept where the Committee otherwise determines, members of the public may be present at meetings of a Committee while the Committee is examining witnesses but may not be present while the Committee is deliberating.\n27—Minutes\nA Committee must ensure that full and accurate minutes are kept of its proceedings.\n28—Privileges, immunities and powers\n\t(1)\tAll privileges, immunities and powers that attach to or in relation to a committee established by either House attach to and in relation to each Committee established by this Act.\n\t(2)\tWithout limiting the effect of subsection (1), the powers of each Committee include power to send for persons, papers and records.\n\t(3)\tAny breach of privilege or contempt committed or alleged to have been committed in relation to a Committee or its proceedings may be dealt with in such manner as is resolved by the Committee's appointing House or Houses.\n29—Members not to take part in certain Committee proceedings\nA member of a Committee must not take part in any proceedings of the Committee relating to a matter in which the member has a direct pecuniary interest that is not shared in common with the rest of the subjects of the Crown.\n30—Committee may continue references made to previously constituted Committee\nWhere the composition of a Committee changes before it completes its inquiry, consideration or report in respect of a matter referred to it by or under this or any other Act, the newly constituted Committee may continue and complete the proceedings and may consider and report on the matter as if all evidence given in respect of the matter had been given before the Committee as newly constituted.\n31—Immunity from judicial review\nThe proceedings of a Committee or any report or recommendation of, or document published by, a Committee may not give rise to any cause of action or be made the subject of, or in any way be called into question in, any proceedings before a court.\nDivision 3—Miscellaneous\n32—Co-ordination of Committees\n\t(1)\tThe Presiding Officers of both Houses are responsible for—\n\t(a)\tavoiding duplication by one Committee of the work of another Committee;\n\t(b)\tarranging for each Committee adequate staff and facilities for the performance of its functions;\n\t(c)\tensuring the efficient functioning of the Committees generally.\n\t(2)\tThe Presiding Officers of both Houses must, in discharging their responsibilities under subsection (1), consult with the Presiding Members of the Committees.\n33—Other assistance and facilities\n\t(1)\tA Committee may, with the prior authorisation of the Presiding Officer or Presiding Officers of the Committee's appointing House or Houses, with the approval of the Minister administering an administrative unit of the Public Service and on terms mutually arranged, make use of employees or facilities of that administrative unit.\n\t(2)\tA Committee may, with the prior authorisation of the Presiding Officer or Presiding Officers of the Committee's appointing House or Houses, commission any person to investigate and report to the Committee on any aspect of any matter referred to the Committee.\n34—Office of Committee member not office of profit\nThe office of a member of a Committee (including the office of Presiding Member) is not an office of profit under the Crown.\n35—Financial provision\nThe money required for the purposes of this Act is to be paid out of money appropriated by Parliament for the purpose.\n36—Powers of Parliament to establish other committees\nThis Act does not limit or derogate from the power of either House or both Houses to establish committees in addition to the Committees established by this Act.\nSchedule\nPart 3—Transitional provisions\n(1)\tA matter that was the subject of inquiry by a former committee may, if that committee had not completed its inquiry or reported on the matter before the commencement of this Act, be referred to a Committee under this Act.\n(2)\tWhere a matter is referred to a Committee as referred to in subclause (1), the Committee may continue and complete the proceedings and consider and report on the matter under this Act as if all the evidence given in respect of the matter before the former committee had been given before the Committee under this Act.\n(3)\tIn subclauses (1) and (2)—\nformer committee means—\n\t(a)\tthe Joint Committee on Subordinate Legislation;\n\t(b)\tthe Public Accounts Committee;\n\t(c)\tthe Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works.\nLegislative history\nNotes\n\t•\tAmendments of this version that are uncommenced are not incorporated into the text.\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.\nLegislation repealed by principal Act\nThe Parliamentary Committees Act 1991 repealed the following:\nPublic Accounts Committee Act 1972\nPublic Works Standing Committee Act 1927\nLegislation amended by principal Act\nThe Parliamentary Committees Act 1991 amended the following:\nConstitution Act 1934\nIndustries Development Act 1941\nParliamentary Remuneration Act 1990\nPlanning Act 1982\nSubordinate Legislation Act 1978\nPrincipal Act and amendments\nNew entries appear in bold.\nYear\nNo\nTitle\nAssent\nCommencement\n1991\n50\n Parliamentary Committees Act 1991\n21.11.1991\n11.2.1992 (Gazette 5.12.1991 p1668)\n1992\n79\n Parliamentary Committees (Publication of Reports) Amendment Act 1992\n3.12.1992\n3.12.1992\n1994\n18\n Parliamentary Committees (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 1994\n12.5.1994\n12.5.1994 (Gazette 12.5.1994 p1188) except s 9—1.12.1994 (Gazette 8.9.1994 p728)\n1995\n27\n Statutes Amendment (Attorney-General's Portfolio) Act 1995\n27.4.1995\nPt 9 (ss 18 & 19)—4.5.1995 (Gazette 4.5.1995 p1705)\n1995\n35\n Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment Act 1995\n27.4.1995\nSch 1—25.5.1995 (Gazette 25.5.1995 p2200)\n1995\n38\n Superannuation Funds Management Corporation of South Australia Act 1995\n27.4.1995\nSch 2—1.7.1995 (Gazette 25.5.1995 p2199)\n1997\n22\n Electoral (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 1997\n27.3.1997\nSch 3 (cl 3)—28.8.1997 (Gazette 28.8.1997 p456)\n2002\n27\n Parliamentary Committees (Presiding Members) Amendment Act 2002\n7.11.2002\n7.11.2002\n2003\n35\n River Murray Act 2003\n31.7.2003\nSch (cl 17)—24.11.2003 (Gazette 20.11.2003 p4203) \n2004\n34\n Natural Resources Management Act 2004\n5.8.2004\nSch 4 (cl 29)—2.9.2004 (Gazette 2.9.2004 p3545)\n2006\n25\n Development (Development Plans) Amendment Act 2006\n23.11.2006\nSch 1 (cl 3)—23.11.2008 (s 7(5) Acts Interpretation Act 1915)\n2010\n1\n Parliamentary Committees (Membership of Committees) Amendment Act 2010\n24.6.2010\n24.6.2010\n2012\n52\n Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Act 2012\n6.12.2012\nSch 3 (cll 56—59)—1.9.2013 (Gazette 23.5.2013 p2006)\n2015\n34\n Judicial Conduct Commissioner Act 2015\n5.11.2015\nSch 1 (cll 17 & 18)—5.12.2016 (Gazette 29.11.2016 p4525)\n2016\n60\n Police Complaints and Discipline Act 2016\n8.12.2016\nSch 1 (cl 19)—4.9.2017 (Gazette 29.8.2017 p3794)\n2017\n53\n Statutes Amendment (Sentencing) Act 2017\n28.11.2017\nPt 15 (s 25)—30.4.2018 (Gazette 6.2.2018 p612)\n2019\n16\n Parliamentary Committees (Petitions) Amendment Act 2019\n11.7.2019\n11.7.2019\n2019\n33\n Landscape South Australia Act 2019\n21.11.2019\nSch 5 (cl 57)—1.7.2020 (Gazette 25.6.2020 p3502)\n2021\n25\n Statutes Amendment (COVID-19 Permanent Measures) Act 2021\n17.6.2021\nPt 8 (s 16)—9.9.2021 (Gazette 18.8.2021 p3099)\n2021\n38\n Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (CPIPC Recommendations) Amendment Act 2021\n7.10.2021\n Sch 1 (cll 43 & 76)—7.10.2021: s 2\n2022\n1\n South Australian Public Health (COVID-19) Amendment Act 2022\n24.5.2022\nSch 1 (cl 1)—24.5.2022 (Gazette 24.5.2022 p1200)\n2024\n17\n Parliamentary Committees (Referral of Petitions) Amendment Act 2024\n23.5.2024\n23.5.2024\n2025\n29\n Biodiversity Act 2025\n26.6.2025\nSch 5 (cl 80)—uncommenced\nProvisions amended\nNew entries appear in bold.\nEntries that relate to provisions that have been deleted appear in italics.\nProvision\nHow varied\nCommencement\nLong title\namended under Legislation Revision and Publication Act 2002\n24.11.2003\nPt 1\n\n\ns 2\nomitted under Legislation Revision and Publication Act 2002\n24.11.2003\ns 3\n\n\nappointing House or Houses\namended by 18/1994 s 3(a), (b)\n12.5.1994\nCommittee\namended by 18/1994 s 3(c) \n12.5.1994\n\nsubstituted by 35/1995 Sch 1(a)\n25.5.1995\n\namended by 22/1997 Sch 3 cl 3(a)\n28.8.1997\n\namended by 35/2003 Sch cl 17(a)\n24.11.2003\n\nsubstituted by 52/2012 Sch 3 cl 56\n1.9.2013\nconstruction\ninserted by 18/1994 s 3(d)\n12.5.1994\nland\ninserted by 18/1994 s 3(e)\n12.5.1994\npublic work\ninserted by 18/1994 s 3(f)\n12.5.1994\nstatutory authority\nsubstituted by 18/1994 s 3(g)\n12.5.1994\nwork\ninserted by 18/1994 s 3(h)\n12.5.1994\nPt 2\n\n\ns 5\n\n\ns 5(3)\ninserted by 27/2002 s 2\n7.11.2002\ns 6\namended by 18/1994 s 4\n12.5.1994\n\namended by 17/2024 s 2\n23.5.2024\nPt 3\n\n\ns 8\n\n\ns 8(4)\ninserted by 27/2002 s 3\n7.11.2002\ns 9\namended by 17/2024 s 3\n23.5.2024\nPt 4\n\n\ns 11\n\n\ns 11(4)\ninserted by 27/2002 s 4\n7.11.2002\ns 12\namended by 18/1994 s 5\n12.5.1994\n\namended by 16/2019 s 3\n11.7.2019\nPt 4A\ninserted by 18/1994 s 6\n12.5.1994\ns 12B\n\n\ns 12B(1)\namended by 27/1995 s 18(a)\n4.5.1995\ns 12B(1a)\ninserted by 27/1995 s 18(b)\n4.5.1995\ns 12B(3)\ninserted by 27/2002 s 5\n7.11.2002\ns 12C\namended by 17/2024 s 4\n23.5.2024\nPt 5\n\n\ns 14\n\n\ns 14(1) and (2)\nsubstituted by 1/2010 s 3\n24.6.2010\ns 14(4)\ninserted by 27/2002 s 6\n7.11.2002\nPt 5A\ninserted by 18/1994 s 7\n12.5.1994\ns 15\namended by 17/2024 s 5\n23.5.2024\ns 15B\n\n\ns 15B(3)\ninserted by 27/2002 s 7\n7.11.2002\ns 15C\namended by 17/2024 s 6\n23.5.2024\nPt 5B\ninserted by 35/1995 Sch 1(b)\n25.5.1995\ns 15E\n\n\ns 15E(4)\ninserted by 27/2002 s 8\n7.11.2002\ns 15F\namended by 17/2024 s 7\n23.5.2024\nPt 5C\ninserted by 22/1997 Sch 3 cl 3(b)\n28.8.1997\ns 15H\n\n\ns 15H(1)\nsubstituted by 52/2012 Sch 3 cl 57\n1.9.2013\ns 15H(1a)\ninserted by 34/2015 Sch 1 cl 17\n5.12.2016\ns 15H(3)\ninserted by 27/2002 s 9\n7.11.2002\ns 15I\n\n\ns 15I(1)\namended by 52/2012 Sch 3 cl 58\n1.9.2013\n\namended by 17/2024 s 8\n23.5.2024\nPt 5D\ninserted by 35/2003 Sch cl 17(b)\n24.11.2003\ns 15K\n\n\ns 15K(1) and (2)\nsubstituted by 1/2010 s 4\n24.6.2010\ns 15L\n\n\ns 15L(1)\namended by 34/2004 Sch 4 cl 29(1)\n2.9.2004\n\namended by 25/2006 Sch 1 cl 3\n23.11.2008\n\namended by 33/2019 Sch 5 cl 57\n1.7.2020\n\namended by 17/2024 s 9\n23.5.2024\ns 15L(2)\n\n\nnatural resources\namended by 34/2004 Sch 4 cl 29(2)\n2.9.2004\nPt 5E\ninserted by 52/2012 Sch 3 cl 59\n1.9.2013\ns 15O\n\n\ns 15O(1)\namended by 60/2016 Sch 1 cl 19\n4.9.2017\n\namended by 53/2017 s 25(1), (2)\n30.4.2018\n\namended by 38/2021 Sch 1 cl 43(1)—(4)\n7.10.2021\n\namended by 17/2024 s 10\n23.5.2024\ns 15O(2)\namended by 38/2021 Sch 1 cl 43(5)—(7)\n7.10.2021\ns 15O(3)\namended by 38/2021 Sch 1 cl 43(8), (9)\n7.10.2021\ns 15O(4)\ninserted by 38/2021 Sch 1 cl 43(10)\n7.10.2021\nPt 5F\ninserted by 1/2022 Sch 1 cl 1\n24.5.2022\n\nexpired: s 15V—omitted under Legislation Revision and Publication Act 2002\n(23.11.2022)\nPt 6\n\n\ns 16\n\n\ns 16(2)\nsubstituted by 18/1994 s 8\n12.5.1994\ns 16A\ninserted by 18/1994 s 9\n1.12.1994\ns 16A(1)\namended by 38/1995 Sch 2\n1.7.1995\ns 16A(3)\ninserted by 38/1995 Sch 2\n1.7.1995\ns 16B\ninserted by 16/2019 s 4\n11.7.2019\nheading\nsubstituted by 17/2024 s 11(1)\n23.5.2024\ns 16B(1)\nsubstituted by 17/2024 s 11(2)\n23.5.2024\ns 17\n\n\ns 17(1)\namended by 18/1994 s 10(a)\n12.5.1994\ns 17(3)\namended by 18/1994 s 10(b)\n12.5.1994\ns 17(7) and (8)\ninserted by 79/1992 s 2\n3.12.1992\ns 19\n\n\ns 19(1)\namended by 16/2019 s 5(1)\n11.7.2019\ns 19(1a)\ninserted by 16/2019 s 5(2)\n11.7.2019\n\namended by 17/2024 s 12(1)\n23.5.2024\ns 19(2)\namended by 16/2019 s 5(3)\n11.7.2019\ns 19(3)\nsubstituted by 16/2019 s 5(4)\n11.7.2019\n\namended by 17/2024 s 12(2)\n23.5.2024\ns 19(4)\ninserted by 16/2019 s 5(4)\n11.7.2019\nprescribed Minister\namended by 17/2024 s 12(3)\n23.5.2024\ns 20\n\n\ns 20(1)\ndeleted by 18/1994 s 11(a)\n12.5.1994\ns 20(2)\namended by 18/1994 s 11(b)\n12.5.1994\ns 21\n\n\ns 21(2)\namended by 34/2015 Sch 1 cl 18\n5.12.2016\ns 23\ndeleted by 27/2002 s 10\n7.11.2002\ns 24\n\n\ns 24(2)\nsubstituted by 27/1995 s 19\n4.5.1995\n\namended by 1/2010 s 5\n24.6.2010\ns 24(2a)\ninserted by 27/1995 s 19\n4.5.1995\ns 24(5)\nsubstituted by 18/1994 s 12\n12.5.1994\ns 24A\ninserted by 25/2021 s 16\n9.9.2021\ns 30\namended by 18/1994 s 13\n12.5.1994\nSch\n\n\nPts 1 and 2\nomitted under Legislation Revision and Publication Act 2002\n24.11.2003\nTransitional etc provisions associated with Act or amendments\nParliamentary Committees (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 1994\n14—Transitional provision\nThe first members of the Public Works Committee and of the Statutory Authorities Review Committee must be appointed as soon as practicable after the commencement of this Act.\nParliamentary Committees (Presiding Members) Amendment Act 2002\n11—Transitional provision\nIf, immediately before the commencement of this Act, a person who is holding office as the Presiding Member of a Committee established under the principal Act is not a member of the House from which the Presiding Member of the Committee must be appointed under a provision inserted into the principal Act by this Act, the position of Presiding Member of the Committee immediately becomes vacant and a new Presiding Member must be appointed under the principal Act as amended by this Act (but otherwise this Act does not affect the appointment of a Presiding Member before the commencement of this Act).\nIndependent Commissioner Against Corruption (CPIPC Recommendations) Amendment Act 2021, Sch 1 Pt 21\n76—Savings and transitional regulations\nRegulations may be made under any Act amended by this Act (including under the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 2012 as in force after the commencement of this Act) to make provisions of a saving or transitional nature consequent on the enactment of this Act or on the commencement of specified provisions of this Act.\nParliamentary Committees (Referral of Petitions) Amendment Act 2024, Sch 1\n1—Transitional provision\n\t(1)\tOn the commencement of this clause—\n\t(a)\tdespite the provisions of section 16B(1) of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Legislative Review Committee is not required to inquire into, consider or report on a relevant petition; and\n\t(b)\tthe House in which a relevant petition was tabled must refer the relevant petition to an appropriate Committee; and\n\t(c)\tany evidence received by the Legislative Review Committee during an inquiry into a relevant petition—\n\t(i)\tis, by force of this paragraph, referred to the Committee to which the relevant petition has been referred pursuant to paragraph (b) for its consideration; and\n\t(ii)\tmust be provided by the Legislative Review Committee to the Committee to which the relevant petition has been referred.\n\t(2)\tIn this clause—\neligible petition has the same meaning as in section 16B of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991;\nrelevant petition means an eligible petition that has, on or after 1 May 2023, been referred to the Legislative Review Committee pursuant to section 16B of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991 as in force before the commencement of this clause.\nHistorical versions\nReprint No 1—3.12.1992\n\nReprint No 2—12.5.1994\n\nReprint No 3—1.12.1994\n\nReprint No 4—4.5.1995\n\nReprint No 5—25.5.1995\n\nReprint No 6—1.7.1995\n\nReprint No 7—28.8.1997\n\nReprint No 8—7.11.2002\n\nReprint No 9—24.11.2003\n\n2.9.2004\n\n23.11.2008\n\n24.6.2010\n\n1.9.2013\n\n5.12.2016\n\n4.9.2017\n\n30.4.2018\n\n11.7.2019\n\n1.7.2020\n\n9.9.2021\n\n7.10.2021\n\n24.5.2022\n\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act's scope has expanded materially since its original enactment. Originally a vehicle for creating a small number of standing committees it has been amended repeatedly to add new specialist committees (for example, Statutory Authorities Review, Natural Resources, Crime and Public Integrity Policy, Occupational Safety & Compensation committees), new referral mechanisms (automatic referral of certain public works — s 16A inserted 1994; compulsory referral of eligible petitions — s 16B inserted 2019), procedural powers (remote meetings — s 24A inserted 2021), and subject‑specific functions tied to later Acts (e.g. River Murray Act reporting duties in s 15L and interaction with ICAC‑related material in s 15O). The legislative history shows many piecemeal additions and role adjustments across years, so the Act now provides an extensive, specialised committee architecture rather than a narrow framework limited to a couple of standing committees."},"complexity_factors":["Many discrete committees (about a dozen named committees and provision for others) each with tailored functions and membership rules (Parts 2–5E and 5D).","Interpretation section with multiple defined terms and cross‑references (s 3) — e.g. 'public work', 'statutory authority', 'State instrumentality', 'appointing House'.","Numerous conditional membership rules and exceptions (different committee sizes, House composition requirements, some committees bar Ministers while one expressly allows Ministers — e.g. ss 5, 8, 11, 15B, 15K(3)).","Varying quorum rules tied to committee size and special composition requirements (s 24(2)).","Multiple procedural layers: referral routes (House resolution, Governor, own motion), reporting deadlines, Ministerial response obligations and special handling for petitions (ss 16, 16A, 16B, 17, 19).","Significant cross‑references to other legislation and to historical and subsequent amendments (e.g. Subordinate Legislation Act, River Murray Act, Independent Commission Against Corruption Act).","Special statutory protections and limits such as power to compel documents and privilege (s 28) and immunity from judicial review (s 31).","Transitional provisions and staged changes tied to particular parliaments or commencement dates (schedule and reprint notes), adding temporal conditionality.","Recent insertions expanding procedure and remit (e.g. remote meetings s 24A; petition process s 16B), increasing branching logic.","Multiple amendments over time that alter functions, membership numbers and thresholds (legislative history shows many variations), meaning users must track current version closely."],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does (mechanically)\n\n- Establishes a set of standing parliamentary committees and gives each committee defined membership rules, functions and powers. (Parts 2–5E and 5D–5E, e.g. ss 4–15O.)\n- Allows matters to be referred to committees by either House, by the Governor or by the committee itself, and requires committees to report back (s 16(1), s 17).\n- Creates specific procedures for referral and handling of petitions with at least 10,000 signatures (s 16B). \n- Requires Ministers to respond to committee reports within fixed timeframes and sets out how those responses are to be presented to Parliament (s 19).\n- Gives committees powers to call for people, papers and records and confers parliamentary privileges and immunities on them (s 28). It also shields committee proceedings and published reports from being challenged in court (s 31).\n- Imposes eligibility rules for membership (for example, Ministers are generally ineligible; some committees must include representatives from both Houses or from government and opposition groups) and quorum and voting rules (ss 5–15H, s 24).\n- Requires consultation and co‑ordination of committee work by the Presiding Officers and allows committees to use public servants or commission outside experts when authorised (ss 32–33).\n- Contains special rules for public works costing over a threshold (currently $4,000,000) to be inquired into by the Public Works Committee before construction funds may be applied (s 16A).\n- Permits committees to meet remotely provided members can communicate contemporaneously (s 24A).\n\nWho it affects\n\n- Members of Parliament: sets who may be appointed to particular committees, how committees are chaired and how long appointments last (ss 5–15K, ss 20–21).\n- Ministers and government agencies: may be required to respond to committee reports (s 19), provide evidence and documents to committees (s 28), and in some cases are excluded from committee membership (various membership provisions).\n- Statutory authorities, publicly funded bodies and public officers: are subject to committee oversight where the committee's functions cover them (see functions for Economic & Finance, Statutory Authorities Review, Public Works, Natural Resources, Crime & Public Integrity Policy committees — e.g. ss 6, 12C, 15C, 15L, 15O).\n- Petitioners: an eligible petition (>=10,000 signatures) must be referred to an appropriate committee and may trigger an inquiry (s 16B).\n\nWhy it matters (practical effects and incentives)\n\n- Creates institutional scrutiny: committees can investigate government programs, public works, statutory authorities and laws and can recommend changes or draft Bills (s 17(5)). That channels public and parliamentary scrutiny through formal inquiry processes.\n- Imposes procedural checks on certain government actions: major public works above the monetary threshold are subject to committee inquiry before funds can be applied (s 16A). Ministers must publicly record whether they will adopt committee recommendations and why or why not (s 19(2)).\n- Introduces administrative and compliance costs: public sector agencies and statutory authorities may need to divert staff time and records to support inquiries, and project timelines (particularly for public works) can be delayed by the requirement for prior inquiry (s 16A).\n- Limits legal challenge to committee processes and outputs: committee proceedings, reports and other publications cannot be the subject of court proceedings (s 31). This reduces litigation risk about committee procedure but also narrows judicial oversight.\n- Balances representation and partisanship through membership rules: several committees require representation from both Houses and from government and opposition groups (for example, the Statutory Officers Committee and Crime & Public Integrity Policy Committee), which designs in cross‑bench or cross‑House input (ss 15H, 15N).\n\nCosts, trade‑offs and implementation risks (mechanisms, not judgments)\n\n- Who pays: the Act funds committee activity from parliamentary appropriations (s 35). Committees can also use public service staff or commission external consultants if authorised (s 33), which carries budgetary and coordination costs.\n- Delay vs oversight trade‑off: the Public Works Committee requirement (s 16A) delays expenditure until inquiry is complete, trading faster delivery for additional scrutiny and potential re‑design.\n- Compliance burdens: statutory authorities and public officers must prepare material and appear before committees; that is a recurring, sometimes unquantified cost (s 28). Large or complex inquiries can be resource intensive.\n- Concentrated benefits and diffuse costs: successful petitions or committee recommendations may deliver substantial benefits to specific groups, while the administrative and time costs of inquiries are spread across many public bodies (s 16B, s 17).\n- Risk of duplication and coordination needs: multiple specialised committees with overlapping subject matter create potential duplication; the Presiding Officers are tasked with avoiding duplication and ensuring adequate staffing (s 32). Where coordination fails, stakeholders may face inconsistent requests or repeated inquiries.\n- Limits on judicial oversight: s 31 prevents courts from reviewing committee proceedings or reports, transferring finality to Parliament and internal processes rather than the judiciary.\n- Confidentiality and appointment procedures: the Statutory Officers Committee must keep matters about candidate suitability confidential (s 15I(2)), which protects candidates’ privacy but reduces public transparency about selection considerations.\n\nKey sections to consult quickly\n\n- What committees do and membership rules: Parts 2–5E, and 5D (ss 4–15O). \n- Petitions and public works referrals: s 16A (public works), s 16B (petitions). \n- Reports and Ministerial response: s 17 and s 19 (timing and content of responses). \n- Powers, privileges and limits of review: s 28 (powers), s 31 (immunity from judicial review). \n- Remote meetings: s 24A.\n\nOverall, the Act establishes a permanent, multi‑committee scrutiny architecture for Parliament, prescribes who serves on those committees and how they operate, sets out specific referral powers (petitions and public works), and creates procedural and legal protections around committee work (privileges, powers and immunity). The principal behavioural changes are: public bodies and Ministers must engage with parliamentary committee processes, major public works face pre‑construction parliamentary scrutiny, and large public petitions are channelled into committee inquiry."},"summary":{"complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Scope cannot be assessed as the legislative text was not retrievable. The URL appears to have broken following a website migration on 24 March 2026. No comparison between original intent and current provisions is possible."},"complexity_factors":["No legislative text was available for analysis — only a website error page was provided","Complexity cannot be meaningfully assessed without the actual content of the Act","Score of 1 reflects the absence of analysable material, not the inherent simplicity of the legislation"],"plain_english_summary":"## ⚠️ Content Unavailable\n\nThe legislation text for the **Parliamentary Committees Act 1991 (SA)** could not be retrieved. The link provided returned a **'Page Not Found'** error from the South Australian legislation website, likely due to a broken or outdated URL following a website update in March 2026.\n\n**What we do know:**\n- This is a **South Australian** law dealing with **parliamentary committees** — the formal groups of elected representatives tasked with scrutinising government, reviewing bills (proposed laws), and investigating matters of public concern.\n- The Act has been in force since **1991**, suggesting it is an established piece of governance legislation.\n- If you need the actual text, visit [www.legislation.sa.gov.au](https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au) and search directly for 'Parliamentary Committees Act 1991'.\n\n**Who it likely affects:** Members of Parliament, public servants called to give evidence, members of the public making submissions to parliamentary inquiries, and anyone subject to a committee investigation."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The original 1991 Act established 4 committees (Economic and Finance, Environment/Resources/Development, Legislative Review, Social Development). Through 10 separate amending Acts, the legislation has expanded to 10 committees, adding specialised oversight bodies for public works (1994), statutory authorities (1994), occupational safety (1995), statutory officers (1997), natural resources (2003), and crime/public integrity (2012). The scope has evolved from general parliamentary scrutiny to include specific monitoring of anti-corruption bodies, River Murray management, and petition processes (2019/2024)."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple committee-specific membership rules with varying compositions (some 5 members, some 6-9, some single-House, some bicameral)","Phased membership changes tied to specific parliamentary sessions (e.g., 'until commencement of first session of 53rd Parliament')","Complex appointment rules for Statutory Officers Committee requiring cross-party balance from both Houses","Detailed quorum calculations varying by committee size (3/4/5 members depending on total membership)","Specific exclusions for ministers from most committees (with one exception: Natural Resources Committee)","Multiple cross-references to other Acts (River Murray Act 2003, Landscape South Australia Act 2019, Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 2012, etc.)","Conditional logic for public works referrals ($4 million threshold with Superannuation Funds Management Corporation exemption)","Layered restrictions on Crime and Public Integrity Policy Committee regarding confidential information and criminal intelligence","Transitional provisions and legislative history showing 30+ amendments since 1991"],"plain_english_summary":"This South Australian law sets up and runs the system of parliamentary committees — groups of MPs who investigate issues and keep an eye on the government.\n\n**What it does:**\nThe Act creates **10 different committees**, each with a specific job:\n- **Economic and Finance Committee** — looks at money, budgets, and whether government departments are efficient\n- **Environment, Resources and Development Committee** — handles planning, land use, transport, and environmental protection\n- **Legislative Review Committee** — reviews laws that are about to expire and checks subordinate legislation (regulations made by ministers, not Parliament)\n- **Public Works Committee** — examines big building projects costing over $4 million before money can be spent\n- **Social Development Committee** — covers health, education, welfare, arts, and community wellbeing\n- **Statutory Authorities Review Committee** — checks whether government agencies (statutory authorities) are still needed and working well\n- **Occupational Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Committee** — monitors workplace safety and workers' compensation laws\n- **Statutory Officers Committee** — recommends people for appointment to important independent offices (like the Ombudsman or Auditor-General)\n- **Natural Resources Committee** — oversees water, soil, native vegetation, and the River Murray\n- **Crime and Public Integrity Policy Committee** — watches over anti-corruption bodies, police, and laws targeting organised crime\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- **Members of Parliament** — they serve on committees (ministers are generally banned from membership)\n- **Government agencies and public servants** — they can be called to give evidence and produce documents\n- **The public** — can attend most committee meetings and petition Parliament (10,000+ signatures forces a committee review)\n- **Ministers** — must respond to committee reports within 4 months\n\n**Why it matters:**\nCommittees are Parliament's watchdogs. They scrutinise government spending, check that laws work, investigate public complaints, and recommend changes. The Act gives them powers to summon witnesses, demand documents, and hold public hearings. It also protects them from being sued for what they say or do in committee work (parliamentary privilege)."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/parliamentary-committees-act-1991","history":"/api/acts/parliamentary-committees-act-1991/history","analysis":"/api/acts/parliamentary-committees-act-1991/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/parliamentary-committees-act-1991/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/parliamentary-committees-act-1991/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/parliamentary-committees-act-1991/documents"}}