The Parliament has four main roles:

1. Formation of Government and Scrutiny

The Parliament is the place where the government is formed (the political party with the majority in the House of Assembly) and the place where the government is scrutinised.

2. Representation

The Parliament is the place where the people of South Australia are represented.

3. Budget / Financial

The Parliament must approve and scrutinise how public money is spent.

4. Lawmaking

The Parliament is the primary lawmaking body in South Australia.