It follows a Westminster system of parliamentary government with the executive branch required to both sit in parliament and hold the confidence of the House of Assembly.

Its power is further limited by the ability for the federal parliament to override it in some circumstances, subject to the Constitution of Australia.

The parliament is also vested with other powers, such as the means to investigate matters, conduct research and summon witnesses.

Under this arrangement, there was also a governing Council comprising the Governor, the Judge or Chief Justice, the Colonial Secretary, the Advocate-General and the Resident Commissioner, with broad legislative and executive powers including the imposition of rates, duties, and taxes.

The Act also made provision for a commission to initiate the establishment of democratic government, electoral districts, requirements for voting rights, and terms of office.

[6] The Australian Colonies Government Act 1850 was a landmark development which granted representative constitutions to New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania and the colonies enthusiastically set about writing constitutions which produced democratically progressive parliaments with the British monarch as the symbolic head of state.

In addition, the reforms meant that the Governor no longer oversaw proceedings, with the role being filled by a Speaker who had been elected by the members.

The offending constitution was returned and in 1855, a new Legislative Council was elected with a mandate to establish something far more radical and democratic than had been seen in the British Empire before.

Another consequence was a bit of a "brain drain", with many of the parliament's most prominent members moving to the federal sphere.

[6] One distinctive aspect of the history of the South Australian parliament was the "Playmander", a gerrymandering system that instituted a pro-rural electoral malapportionment introduced by the incumbent Liberal and Country League (LCL) government, and in place for 32 years from 1936 to 1968.

[17] Labor managed to win enough parliamentary seats to form government just once during the Playmander against the odds − in 1965.

Labor won comprehensive majorities of the statewide two-party vote whilst failing to form government in 1944, 1953, 1962 and 1968.

Under the original 1856 Constitution, the franchise was restricted to men, "having a freehold estate in possession, either legal or equitable, situate within the said Province, of the clear value of Fifty Pounds sterling money above all charges and encumbrances affecting the same, or having a leasehold estate in possession, situate within the said Province, the lease thereof having been registered in the General Registry Office, for the registration of deeds, and having three years to run at the time of voting, or containing a clause authorising the lessee to become the purchaser of the land thereby demised, or occupy a dwelling house of the clear annual value of Twenty-five Pounds sterling money.

"[17] In 1907, the right to vote was extended to any person occupying a dwelling house, or "dwelling house and premises appurtenant thereto", with an annual rent of at least 17 pounds per annum (excluding any payment of rent by a wife to her husband); to a registered proprietor of a leasehold on which there were improvements to the value of at least 50 pounds and which were the property of the proprietor.

At the same time, the franchise was also extended to ministers of religion, school head teachers, postmasters, railway stationmasters, and the officer in charge of a police station.

[17] In 1918, the right to vote for members of the upper house was extended to all those who had served in armed forced in the First World War.

[17] Finally in 1973, all property qualifications were removed and the Council became a body elected via proportional representation by a single state-wide electorate from the same universal franchise as the House of Assembly.

The Legislative Council (or "upper house") is made up of 22 councillors (MLCs) who are elected for the entire state by the Proportional Representation single transferable voting system (with optional preferential voting) to serve for a term that is usually 8 years.

Legislative Councillors may serve shorter or longer terms than the usual 8 years in the event of an early dissolution of the House of Assembly.

The only difference is that the upper house does not have the ability to initiate or amend bills that appropriate money or levy taxes.

Another important function of the upper house is to scrutinise government activity, which it does both in the chamber and through committees.

As Legislative Councillors have been elected using proportional representation since the mid-1970s, the chamber features a multitude of parties vying for power.

A government or opposition majority in the upper house has been unachievable since the introduction of this system, with the balance of power being held by a number of minor parties and independents.

[11] In the event that there is a conflict between the two Houses over legislation, the South Australian Constitution lays out a mechanism for how these deadlocks can be resolved.

Under section 41 of the South Australian Constitution, if a bill is passed by the House of Assembly during a session of parliament and in the following parliament after a general election for the lower house is rejected by the Legislative Council on both occasions, it is permitted for the Governor of South Australia to either issue a writ for the election of 2 additional members of the Legislative Council or to dissolve both Houses at the same time to elect an entirely new parliament.

[46][47][48] The Act was launched in a ceremony led by premier Peter Malinauskas, who acknowledged the work done by Attorney-General and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Kyam Maher, and First Nations Commissioner Dale Agius, to achieve the passing of the bill.

A large crowd attended despite rainy weather, and Major "Moogy" Sumner spoke, danced, and performed the Welcome to Country.

The State Voice then in turn elects its own male and female joint presiding officers who have the right to enter either house of parliament to make speeches on bills that are of interest to Indigenous peoples in South Australia.

Parliament House sits on the North-Western corner of the intersection of King William Street and North Terrace.

Due to financial constraints, the current Parliament House was constructed in stages over 65 years from 1874 to 1939.