Government and society

Constitutional framework

Since the passage of the Constitution Act of 1856, South Australia has had a parliament. This bicameral legislature consists of a House of Assembly, with 47 (originally 36) members representing single-member electoral districts, and a Legislative Council of 22 (originally 18) members, who are elected at large in the state. Voting is on the basis of universal suffrage, uses a preferential system, and is compulsory. Legislation requires the assent of both houses.

In common with the other state governments, the governor is the representative of the British crown. The governor accepts the advice of ministers (cabinet) who, by constitutional convention, are responsible to the House of Assembly. The premier is usually the leader of the majority party in that chamber. Alteration of the Constitution Act is in the hands of parliament itself. The two main parties are the Australian Labor Party and the Liberal Party of Australia.

The highest court in South Australia’s judiciary system is the Supreme Court, followed by the District Court and the Magistrates Court. Jurisdiction of the various courts is limited by the seriousness of the cases. The Supreme Court hears the most-serious civil and criminal cases; the District Court is the primary trial court; and the least-serious matters are handled in the Magistrates Court. Other courts include a Youth Court and courts of summary jurisdiction.

The main function of state governments in Australia is the administration of primary and secondary education, hospitals, public housing, prisons and police, roads, water supply, and land resources. Commonwealth (federal) government powers are focused on defense, foreign affairs, trade and economic policy, immigration, welfare payments, shipping, and aviation. Through its capacity to make specific-purpose financial grants to the states, the federal government has substantial de facto influence on many state functions, including higher education, health care, housing, and assistance to industry.

There are several dozen local government areas in South Australia, including a number of rural Aboriginal communities and the Outback Areas Community Development Trust. Each local government area is controlled by councils elected by property owners and residents.

Health and welfare

The state government is responsible for providing the major health services for the Aboriginal community, senior citizens, and people with disabilities; these services include hospitals, psychiatric facilities, and drug and alcohol treatment programs. Policy is influenced by funding arrangements between the Commonwealth and state governments. In addition to public and private hospitals, there are community health services, services concerned with education and health promotion, and domiciliary care services. The School Dental Service provides care for children up to age 18.

In 1995 South Australia enacted the Consent to Medical Treatment and Palliative Care Act. This landmark legislation gave citizens the power to predetermine their medical treatment in the event that they become incapacitated and also relieved medical practitioners of liability should the treatment chosen by the terminally ill incidentally hasten death.

Education

Compulsory education dates from 1875 and now applies to children from age 6 to 15, although most enter school at 5 years of age. Primary classes are designated as years 1 through 7, and secondary classes are designated as years 8 through 12. Government schools are tuition-free, and the government pays independent schools a variable sum per pupil on the basis of assessed needs. Most government secondary schools are comprehensive coeducational high schools, although there is some concentration of resources in particular schools to provide specialized education in areas such as music, certain languages, and some technical fields. In the early 21st century, nongovernment schools accounted for more than one-third of combined primary and secondary enrollment.

Two types of postsecondary education are available in South Australia. The Technical and Further Education Commission provides a wide range of courses at community colleges and colleges of further education. Courses are provided at many levels, from the basic trade apprentice to technical and paraprofessional levels. Professional and research-focused education at a higher level is provided at three institutions. The centrally situated University of Adelaide, established in 1874 and opened in 1876, is the third oldest university in Australia. Flinders University opened in 1966 on the southern outskirts of Adelaide. The University of South Australia was formed in 1991 by the merging of three campuses of the former South Australian College of Advanced Education—itself originating in 1876 as the Adelaide Teachers College—and the three-campus South Australian Institute of Technology, which was founded in 1889 as the South Australian School of Mines and Industries; it is the state’s largest institution of higher learning.

The arts

The Art Gallery of South Australia in Adelaide houses collections of Australian, European, and Asian art, including one of the finest collections of Southeast Asian ceramics. The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra gives regular concerts, especially in the refurbished 19th-century Adelaide Town Hall. The Adelaide Festival Centre, opened in 1973, provides venues for a variety of activities, from drama and rock concerts to grand opera. Rundle Mall, the main shopping street, is used by individual and small-group street entertainers, as well as for open-air community arts activities.

The Adelaide Festival, held in March every two years since 1960, is a major cultural event that draws crowds of hundreds of thousands. The festival has been instrumental in bringing to South Australia many notable performers and artists and has been the site of world premieres of works commissioned specifically for the event. The South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) produced many feature films for television and cinema before changing in 1994 from a production company to an agency that facilitates filming and promotes the industry within the state. The SAFC has been involved with numerous award-winning films, including The Tracker (2001), Rabbit-Proof Fence (2000), and Breaker Morant (1980), all of which were filmed largely in the South Australian outback. Various ethnic communities contribute to the state’s cultural life by staging festivals, and the main wine-growing areas promote seasonal wine tastings. Many Aboriginal groups host tours highlighting the art, natural environment, and culture of their communities.

Sports and recreation

The long sweep of the metropolitan sea beaches provides uncrowded and year-round opportunities for informal aquatic recreation. The relatively sheltered gulf waters favour yachting, while Adelaide and the country towns have abundant recreational open space and sports grounds. The most popular participant sports are aerobics, netball, golf, cricket, squash, and Australian rules football. The main spectator sport is Australian rules football, played during the autumn and winter, from March to September. Year-round horse racing is popular. Adelaide hosted the World Formula One Grand Prix of auto racing from 1985 to 1995; it was seen over the 10-year period by hundreds of thousands of people on the track and by a worldwide television audience.

Media and publishing

South Australia’s primary daily newspaper is The Advertiser; the Sunday Mail is a weekly with wide circulation. A press association based in Adelaide manages production and distribution of many local papers in the smaller towns and rural areas. Transmitting stations of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation are located in larger cities in the southeast part of the state, and several commercial companies operate television and radio stations mostly in and around Adelaide.