Officials are trying to change the rules in South Australia’s Upper House, to avoid being swamped by micro-parties and complex preferential deals.

SA Attorney-General John Rau says the moves to abolish the preferential system will make things harder for manipulators and easier for voters to tell where their backing will end up.

“There is quite a sophisticated manipulation of the Senate and Upper House voting system open to people who are very clever and prepared to manipulate the system,” Mr Rau said.

“Commentators, independent commentators and political parties have all condemned this.

“It is something we still have time to try and rectify in South Australia before next year's election.”

The Attorney-General has admitted the reforms may not come into place before ballots are cast on March 15.

One bill on the way makes it more difficult for candidates to register for the ballot paper in the Legislative Council election.

Changes include a rule stating only political parties or groups of independents would be allowed to lodge preference tickets. Candidates will also have to find 200 nominees to back them, rather than two.

The SA Greens leader Mark Parnell has come out in support of the changes to the Legislative Council rules, but is not so sure about getting rid of preferences entirely.

“We haven't seen all of the detail yet and discussed it as a party, but the Greens are sympathetic to some of the other reforms the Government is suggesting,” he said.

“But we need to make sure that they're democratic. We would not want to see a situation where only the rich could afford to run for Parliament, because that's just not on.”