{"id":"recreation-grounds-regulations-act-1931","name":"Recreation Grounds (Regulations) Act 1931","slug":"recreation-grounds-regulations-act-1931","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"sa","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":106548,"registerId":"sa-recreation-grounds-regulations-act-1931-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Recreation Grounds (Regulations) Act 1931","content":"South Australia\nRecreation Grounds (Regulations) Act 1931\nAn Act to enable the Governor to make regulations relating to recreation grounds and for purposes incidental thereto.\n\nContents\n1\tShort title\n2\tInterpretation\n3\tGeneral regulations relating to recreation grounds\nLegislative history\n\nThe Parliament of South Australia enacts as follows:\n1—Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Recreation Grounds (Regulations) Act 1931.\n2—Interpretation\nIn this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—\nrecreation ground means any enclosed area of land commonly used for playing sports or games, or accommodating the spectators at any sport or game, and any enclosed area of land contiguous thereto and used in connection therewith;\nregulate includes prohibit.\n3—General regulations relating to recreation grounds\n\t(1)\tThe Governor may make any regulations necessary or convenient for any of the following purposes, namely:\n\t(a)\tregulating the entry and egress of persons and vehicles into or out of any recreation ground or any enclosure or building thereon;\n\t(b)\tsecuring that all persons who enter any recreation ground or any enclosure or building thereon shall pay the appropriate entrance fee and otherwise comply with the conditions of entry, and forbidding any act or transaction done or entered into with the intent that any person may avoid payment of the proper entrance fee or compliance with the conditions of entry;\n\t(c)\tprotecting any recreation ground (including all buildings, erections, chattels, shrubs, trees, and vegetation of any kind thereon) against damage, defilement, and disfigurement;\n\t(d)\tsecuring orderly and decent behaviour on the part of all persons on, or in the vicinity of, a recreation ground and providing for the comfort and convenience of all such persons;\n\t(e)\tregulating the sale and consumption of alcoholic liquor on any recreation ground and the sale of any other wares and commodities whatever on the said ground: Provided that any regulations relating to alcoholic liquor shall be in addition to and not in derogation of the provisions of the Acts relating to the supply of intoxicating liquor;\n\t(f)\tregulating pedestrian and vehicular traffic on any recreation ground;\n\t(g)\tregulating the entry of dogs into any recreation ground or any enclosure thereon and providing for the removal of dogs from the said ground;\n\t(h)\tregulating smoking on any recreation ground or any enclosure thereon;\n\t(i)\tempowering any member of the police force or any special constable to remove from any recreation ground any person guilty of any offence, and prohibiting the return of any person so removed;\n\t(j)\tcreating offences punishable summarily and prescribing penalties not exceeding $5 000 for any such offence;\n\t(k)\tprescribing expiation fees (not exceeding $315) for alleged offences against the regulations.\n\t(2)\tAny regulation under this Act may apply to any recreation ground therein mentioned and may be extended by regulation to any other recreation ground, and it shall not be necessary that all regulations shall apply uniformly to the same recreation grounds.\n\t(3)\tRegulations under this Act shall not be made or extended so as to apply to any recreation ground unless the controlling body of that recreation ground has requested that the regulations shall be so made or extended.\n\t(4)\tAny regulation may be limited in its application to any part or parts of any recreation ground, and otherwise as to time, place, and circumstance.\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\n1931\n2010\nRecreation Grounds (Regulations) Act 1931\n17.9.1931\n17.9.1931\n1935\n2246\nStatute Law Revision Act 1935\n19.12.1935\n19.12.1935\n1978\n22\nRecreation Grounds (Regulations) Act Amendment Act 1978\n30.3.1978\n30.3.1978\n2010\n25\nRecreation Grounds (Regulations) (Penalties) Amendment Act 2010\n2.12.2010\n2.12.2010\nProvisions amended since 3 February 1976\nLegislative history prior to 3 February 1976 appears in marginal notes and footnotes included in the consolidation of this Act contained in Volume 9 of The Public General Acts of South Australia 1837-1975 at page 329.\nNew entries appear in bold.\nProvision\nHow varied\nCommencement\ns 3\n\n\ns 3(1)\namended by 22/1978 s 2\n30.3.1978\n\namended by 25/2010 s 3(1)—(3)\n2.12.2010\nHistorical versions\nReprint No 1—15.11.1991\n\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"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"},"summary":{"complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Scope cannot be assessed — the legislative text was not retrievable. No comparison between original intent and current provisions is possible without access to the Act's content."},"complexity_factors":["No legislative text was provided — only a website error page was returned","Analysis is limited to inferences drawn from the Act's title alone","Cannot assess actual complexity, definitions, cross-references, penalties, or regulatory mechanisms without the text","The Act's age (1931) suggests it may have been amended multiple times, which could add complexity, but this cannot be confirmed"],"plain_english_summary":"Likely governing the use and management of public recreation grounds in South Australia, this nearly century‑old Act would authorize rules and oversight for parks, ovals and sporting facilities.  \n\nIt principally affects local councils, community organisations, sporting clubs and the general public who use those spaces — important for who may use grounds, how they’re run, and public safety and access."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act's core purpose—enabling Governor-made regulations for recreation grounds—remains, but later amendments altered scope and penalties. The legislative history shows s3 was amended (1978; 2010), and the current text specifies penalty caps and expiation fees (s3(1)(j)-(k)) and requires that a ground's controlling body request regulations before they apply (s3(2)-(3)), which changes who must initiate regulatory coverage."},"complexity_factors":["Broad delegated legislative power vested in the Governor to make diverse regulations (s3(1))","Wide range of subject-matter listed (entry, fees, alcohol, dogs, smoking, traffic, behaviour, property protection) increasing regulatory permutations (s3(1)(a)-(i))","Penal and expiation regime with monetary caps requires enforcement and fee-setting (s3(1)(j)-(k))","Requirement that regulations only apply where the controlling body requests them adds a procedural consent step and potential administrative interaction (s3(3))","Non-uniform application allowed and ability to limit by part/time/place raises tailoring and compliance questions (s3(2), s3(4))","Cross-reference to separate liquor laws creates overlap and potential coordination issues (s3(1)(e))","Enforcement power delegated to police/special constables introduces operational enforcement discretion (s3(1)(i))"],"plain_english_summary":"This Act authorises the Governor to make regulations for enclosed recreation grounds covering entry and exit, entrance fees and conditions, protection of property, behaviour, traffic, alcohol sales, dogs, smoking and enforcement powers (s3(1)). Regulations may create summary offences with fines up to $5,000 and expiation fees up to $315 (s3(1)(j)-(k)).\n\nRegulations can be limited by place or time (s3(4)) and apply to a ground only if that ground's controlling body requests them, so the governing body decides whether the rules will bind its ground (s3(2)-(3); s3(1)(b))."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose of enabling regulations for recreation grounds. The 2010 amendment updated penalty amounts (from pounds to dollars, and increasing the figures) but did not expand the substantive scope. The 1978 amendment similarly dealt with penalties. The core mechanism—regulations by request of controlling bodies—has remained unchanged since 1931."},"complexity_factors":["Only 3 operative sections (short title, interpretation, and regulations power)","Single defined term ('recreation ground') with straightforward definition","Simple delegation structure: Governor makes regulations on request only","No cross-references to other Acts except a saving provision regarding liquor laws","List-based structure in section 3(1) with 11 clear, discrete purposes","No nested exceptions or conditional logic beyond the request requirement in section 3(3)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does:**\n\nThis is a short South Australian law from 1931 that gives the Governor (acting on advice of government) the power to make **regulations** (detailed rules) about how **recreation grounds** are managed and used.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- **Sports clubs and ground controllers** – they can ask for regulations to apply to their grounds\n- **Spectators and visitors** – anyone attending sporting events or using these facilities\n- **Police and special constables** – given powers to remove troublemakers\n- **Vendors** – anyone selling food, drinks, or alcohol at grounds\n\n**What the regulations can cover:**\n- Entry fees and conditions of entry\n- Protecting grounds from damage\n- Keeping order and decent behaviour\n- Alcohol sales (without overriding liquor licensing laws)\n- Traffic control (pedestrians and vehicles)\n- Dog control and removal\n- Smoking rules\n- Police powers to eject offenders and ban them from returning\n- Fines for breaking rules (up to $5,000) and on-the-spot fines (up to $315)\n\n**Key limitation:**\nRegulations **only apply if the controlling body of a recreation ground specifically requests them**. The Governor cannot unilaterally impose rules on a ground.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis law provides a flexible framework for managing public order at sporting venues without needing new legislation every time a ground needs specific rules. It lets local sporting bodies tailor regulations to their particular needs while maintaining consistent enforcement powers."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/recreation-grounds-regulations-act-1931","history":"/api/acts/recreation-grounds-regulations-act-1931/history","analysis":"/api/acts/recreation-grounds-regulations-act-1931/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/recreation-grounds-regulations-act-1931/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/recreation-grounds-regulations-act-1931/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/recreation-grounds-regulations-act-1931/documents"}}