Legal changes in SA from January 1

* Magistrates in the SA Youth Court will be able to hear more serious matters, including some major indictable trials. They will be able to impose youth training centre sentences of up to three years, rather than two, and hear applications to extend temporary orders for child protection, surrogacy and adoption cases.

* Red tape will be cut for religious or sporting bodies registered with the national Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commision, so they will no longer need to lodge financial statements with SA's Consumer and Business Service.