South Australia
Statutes Amendment (Attorney-General's Portfolio) Bill 2024
A Bill For
An Act to amend various Acts within the portfolio of the Attorney‑General.

Contents
Part 1—Preliminary
1	Short title
2	Commencement
Part 2—Amendment of Courts Administration Act 1993
3	Amendment of section 27A—Interpretation
Part 3—Amendment of District Court Act 1991
4	Amendment of section 3—Interpretation
5	Amendment of section 10—Court's judiciary
6	Amendment of heading to Part 3 Division 2 Subdivision 2
7	Amendment of section 12—Appointment of other Judges and Masters
8	Amendment of heading to Part 3 Division 2 Subdivision 3
9	Amendment of section 14—Leave
10	Amendment of section 15—Removal of Judges and Masters
11	Amendment of section 16—Retirement of members of judiciary
12	Amendment of section 20—Constitution of Court
13	Amendment of section 24—Transfer of proceedings between courts
14	Amendment of section 29—Issue of evidentiary summons
15	Amendment of section 32—Mediation and conciliation
16	Amendment of section 43—Right of appeal
17	Amendment of section 44—Reservation of questions of law
18	Amendment of section 46—Immunities
19	Amendment of section 51—Rules of Court
Part 4—Amendment of Environment, Resources and Development Court Act 1993
20	Amendment of section 9—Magistrates
21	Amendment of section 11—Masters
22	Amendment of section 15—Constitution of Court
23	Amendment of section 26—Issue of evidentiary summonses
24	Amendment of section 30—Right of appeal
25	Amendment of section 36—Immunities
26	Amendment of section 48—Rules
Part 5—Amendment of Judicial Administration (Auxiliary Appointments and Powers) Act 1988
27	Amendment of section 2—Interpretation
Part 6—Amendment of Legal Practitioners Act 1981
28	Amendment of section 5—Interpretation
29	Amendment of section 14I—Establishment of Board of Examiners
30	Amendment of section 89—Proceedings before Supreme Court
31	Amendment of heading to Part 7
32	Substitution of section 92
92	No further appointment of King's Counsel etc
33	Amendment of Schedule 3—Costs disclosure and adjudication
Part 7—Amendment of Magistrates Act 1983
34	Amendment of section 22—Certain members of the judiciary may assume magisterial powers
Part 8—Amendment of Supreme Court Act 1935
35	Amendment of section 5—Interpretation
36	Amendment of section 7—Judicial officers of the court
37	Amendment of section 8—Qualifications for appointment as judges and masters
38	Amendment of section 9—Appointments to the court
39	Amendment of section 11—Acting judges and acting masters
40	Amendment of section 12—Remuneration of judges and masters
41	Amendment of section 13A—Retirement of judges and masters
42	Amendment of section 13H—Pre‑retirement leave
43	Amendment of section 14—Certain common interests do not disqualify
44	Amendment of section 48—Jurisdiction of single judge, master, etc
45	Amendment of section 49—Questions of law reserved for Court of Appeal
46	Amendment of section 50—Appeals
47	Amendment of section 65—Mediation and conciliation
48	Amendment of section 72—Rules of court
49	Amendment of section 110C—Immunities
50	Amendment of section 119—Suitors' funds to vest in master
51	Amendment of section 121—Liability of Treasurer for default of master

The Parliament of South Australia enacts as follows:
Part 1—Preliminary
1—Short title
This Act may be cited as the Statutes Amendment (Attorney-General's Portfolio) Act 2024.
2—Commencement
	(1)	Subject to this section, this Act comes into operation on the day on which it is assented to by the Governor.
	(2)	The following provisions come into operation on a day to be fixed by proclamation:
	(a)	Part 2 to Part 5 (inclusive);
	(b)	sections 28 to 30 (inclusive);
	(c)	section 33;
	(d)	Part 7 and Part 8.

Part 2—Amendment of Courts Administration Act 1993
3—Amendment of section 27A—Interpretation
	(1)	Section 27A, definition of judicial office, paragraph (b)—delete "Master" and substitute:
Associate Justice
	(2)	Section 27A, definition of judicial office, paragraph (c)—delete "or Master" and substitute:
, Associate Judge of the District Court or Associate Justice of the Supreme Court

Part 3—Amendment of District Court Act 1991
4—Amendment of section 3—Interpretation
	(1)	Section 3(1)—after the definition of action insert:
Associate Judge means an Associate Judge of the District Court;
	(2)	Section 3(1), definition of judicial office—delete "Master" and substitute:
Associate Judge
	(3)	Section 3—after subsection (1) insert:
	(2)	Subject to the rules of the Court, a reference in any Act or legislative instrument to a Master is taken to be a reference to an Associate Judge.
5—Amendment of section 10—Court's judiciary
	(1)	Section 10(1)(c)—delete "Masters" and substitute:
Associate Judges
	(2)	Section 10(2)—delete "A Master" and substitute:
An Associate Judge
6—Amendment of heading to Part 3 Division 2 Subdivision 2
Heading to Part 3 Division 2 Subdivision 2—delete "Masters" and substitute:
Associate Judges
7—Amendment of section 12—Appointment of other Judges and Masters
	(1)	Section 12, heading—delete "Masters" and substitute:
Associate Judges
	(2)	Section 12(2)(c)—delete "a Master" and substitute:
an Associate Judge
8—Amendment of heading to Part 3 Division 2 Subdivision 3
Heading to Part 3 Division 2 Subdivision 3—delete "Masters" and substitute:
Associate Judges
9—Amendment of section 14—Leave
Section 14(2)—delete "A Master" and substitute:
An Associate Judge
10—Amendment of section 15—Removal of Judges and Masters
	(1)	Section 15, heading—delete "Masters" and substitute:
Associate Judges
	(2)	Section 15(2)—delete "A Master" and substitute:
An Associate Judge
11—Amendment of section 16—Retirement of members of judiciary
Section 16(2)—delete "A Master" and substitute:
An Associate Judge
12—Amendment of section 20—Constitution of Court
	(1)	Section 20(1)(b)—delete "Masters—a Master (but the jurisdiction of Masters" and substitute:
Associate Judges—an Associate Judge (but the jurisdiction of Associate Judges
	(2)	Section 20(1)(c) and (6)—delete "Master" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
Associate Judge
13—Amendment of section 24—Transfer of proceedings between courts
	(1)	Section 24(1)—delete "Master" and substitute:
Associate Justice
	(2)	Section 24(2)—delete "Master" substitute:
Associate Judge
14—Amendment of section 29—Issue of evidentiary summons
Section 29(a)—delete "Master" and substitute:
Associate Judge
15—Amendment of section 32—Mediation and conciliation
Section 32(1) and (2c)—delete "Master" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
Associate Judge
16—Amendment of section 43—Right of appeal
Section 43(2)(a)—delete "a Master" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
an Associate Judge
17—Amendment of section 44—Reservation of questions of law
Section 44(1)—delete "A Master" and substitute:
An Associate Judge
18—Amendment of section 46—Immunities
Section 46(1)—delete "Master" and substitute:
Associate Judge
19—Amendment of section 51—Rules of Court
Section 51(1)(b)—delete "Masters" and substitute:
Associate Judges

Part 4—Amendment of Environment, Resources and Development Court Act 1993
20—Amendment of section 9—Magistrates
Section 9(2)—delete "a Master" and substitute:
an Associate Judge
21—Amendment of section 11—Masters
	(1)	Section 11, heading—delete "Masters" and substitute:
Associate Judges
	(2)	Section 11—delete "Any Master" and substitute:
Any Associate Judge
	(3)	Section 11—delete "a Master" and substitute:
an Associate Judge
22—Amendment of section 15—Constitution of Court
	(1)	Section 15(6)—delete "a Master" and substitute:
an Associate Judge
	(2)	Section 15(8)—delete "Master" and substitute:
Associate Judge
23—Amendment of section 26—Issue of evidentiary summonses
Section 26(b)—delete "a Master" and substitute:
an Associate Judge
24—Amendment of section 30—Right of appeal
Section 30(1)(d)—delete "a Master" and substitute:
an Associate Judge
25—Amendment of section 36—Immunities
Section 36(1)—delete "Master" and substitute:
Associate Judge
26—Amendment of section 48—Rules
Section 48(1)—delete "Masters" and substitute:
Associate Judges

Part 5—Amendment of Judicial Administration (Auxiliary Appointments and Powers) Act 1988
27—Amendment of section 2—Interpretation
	(1)	Section 2, definition of judicial office, paragraph (b)—delete "Master of the Supreme Court" and substitute:
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
	(2)	Section 2, definition of judicial office, paragraph (c)—delete "District Court Master or Deputy District Court Master" and substitute:
Associate Judge of the District Court

Part 6—Amendment of Legal Practitioners Act 1981
28—Amendment of section 5—Interpretation
	(1)	Section 5(1)—after the definition of associate insert:
Associate Justice means an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court;
	(2)	Section 5(1), definition of Master—delete the definition
29—Amendment of section 14I—Establishment of Board of Examiners
Section 14I—delete "a Master" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
an Associate Justice
30—Amendment of section 89—Proceedings before Supreme Court
Section 89(4) and (5)—delete "Master" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
Associate Justice
31—Amendment of heading to Part 7
Heading to Part 7—delete ", Queen's Counsel"
32—Substitution of section 92
Section 92—delete the section and substitute:
92—No further appointment of King's Counsel etc
	(1)	Any prerogative right or power of the Crown to appoint a legal practitioner as a King's Counsel or Queen's Counsel is abrogated.
	(2)	Nothing in this section affects the appointment of a legal practitioner as a King's Counsel or Queen's Counsel who was appointed before the commencement of this section.
	(3)	No law or practice prevents a person who was a King's Counsel or Queen's Counsel immediately before the commencement of this section from continuing to be a King's Counsel or Queen's Counsel.
33—Amendment of Schedule 3—Costs disclosure and adjudication
Schedule 3, clause 41(2)—delete "a Master" and substitute:
an Associate Justice

Part 7—Amendment of Magistrates Act 1983
34—Amendment of section 22—Certain members of the judiciary may assume magisterial powers
Section 22(b)—delete "a Master" and substitute:
an Associate Justice

Part 8—Amendment of Supreme Court Act 1935
35—Amendment of section 5—Interpretation
	(1)	Section 5(1)—before the definition of cause insert:
Associate Justice means an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court;
	(2)	Section 5(1), definition of jurisdiction—delete "a master" and substitute:
an Associate Justice
	(3)	Section 5(1), definition of master—delete the definition
	(4)	Section 5(2)—delete "the master" and substitute:
a master
	(5)	Section 5(2)(a)—delete "a master" and substitute:
an Associate Justice
36—Amendment of section 7—Judicial officers of the court
	(1)	Section 7—delete "masters" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
Associate Justices
	(2)	Section 7(4)—delete "A Master" and substitute:
An Associate Justice
37—Amendment of section 8—Qualifications for appointment as judges and masters
	(1)	Section 8, heading—delete "masters" and substitute:
Associate Justices
	(2)	Section 8(3)—delete "a master" and substitute:
an Associate Justice
	(3)	Section 8(4)—delete "master" and substitute:
Associate Justice
38—Amendment of section 9—Appointments to the court
	(1)	Section 9(2)—delete "master" and substitute:
Associate Justice
	(2)	Section 9(3)—delete "a master" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
an Associate Justice
39—Amendment of section 11—Acting judges and acting masters
	(1)	Section 11, heading—delete "masters" and substitute:
Associate Justices
	(2)	Section 11—delete "a master" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
an Associate Justice
	(3)	Section 11—delete "master" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
Associate Justice
40—Amendment of section 12—Remuneration of judges and masters
	(1)	Section 12, heading—delete "masters" and substitute:
Associate Justices
	(2)	Section 12(2)—delete "A master" and substitute:
An Associate Justice
	(3)	Section 12(3)—delete "master" and substitute:
Associate Justice
	(4)	Section 12(4)—delete "masters" and substitute:
Associate Justices
41—Amendment of section 13A—Retirement of judges and masters
	(1)	Section 13A, heading—delete "masters" and substitute:
Associate Justices
	(2)	Section 13A—delete "master" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
Associate Justice
42—Amendment of section 13H—Pre‑retirement leave
	(1)	Section 13H(1) to (5) (inclusive)—delete "master" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
Associate Justice
	(2)	Section 13H(4c), definition of domestic partner—delete "master's" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
Associate Justice's
	(3)	Section 13H(6)—delete "a master" and substitute:
a person
43—Amendment of section 14—Certain common interests do not disqualify
Section 14—delete "master" and substitute:
Associate Justice
44—Amendment of section 48—Jurisdiction of single judge, master, etc
	(1)	Section 48, heading—delete "master" and substitute:
Associate Justice
	(2)	Section 48(2)(b)—delete "a master" and substitute:
an Associate Justice
45—Amendment of section 49—Questions of law reserved for Court of Appeal
Section 49(1)—delete "master" and substitute:
Associate Justice
46—Amendment of section 50—Appeals
Section 50(1) and (2)—delete "a master" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
an Associate Justice
47—Amendment of section 65—Mediation and conciliation
Section 50(1) and (5)—delete "master" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
Associate Justice
48—Amendment of section 72—Rules of court
	(1)	Section 72(1)(f) and (g)—delete "masters" wherever occurring and substitute in each case:
Associate Justices
	(2)	Section 72(1)(f)—delete "a master" and substitute:
an Associate Justice
49—Amendment of section 110C—Immunities
Section 110C(1)—delete "A master" and substitute:
An Associate Justice
50—Amendment of section 119—Suitors' funds to vest in master
Section 119, heading—delete "master" and substitute:
registrar
51—Amendment of section 121—Liability of Treasurer for default of master
Section 121, heading—delete "master" and substitute:
registrar