▁influenced ▁by ▁their ▁political ▁alleg iance . ▁ ▁A ▁more ▁complete ▁description ▁of ▁the ▁Att orney - General ' s ▁powers ▁can ▁be ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁minister ial ▁brief ings ▁prepared ▁by ▁the ▁Crown ▁Law ▁Office ▁( most ▁recently ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 ), ▁of ▁which ▁the ▁Att orney - General ▁is ▁the ▁responsible ▁Minister . ▁ ▁At ▁present , ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁stat ut ory ▁basis ▁which ▁establish es ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁Att orney - General , ▁although ▁the ▁position ▁is ▁referenced ▁by ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁other ▁legal ▁documents , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Constitution ▁Act ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁which ▁allows ▁the ▁Sol ic itor - General ▁to ▁exercise ▁the ▁functions ▁of ▁the ▁Att orney - General . ▁The ▁functions ▁of ▁the ▁Att orney - General ▁are ▁also ▁described ▁in ▁the ▁Cab inet ▁Man ual . ▁ ▁There ▁is ▁no ▁constitution al ▁duty ▁on ▁the ▁government ▁to ▁follow ▁the ▁advice ▁of ▁the ▁law ▁officers . ▁The ▁Cab inet ▁Man ual ▁out lines ▁the ▁process ▁by ▁which ▁the ▁legal ▁advice ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁Att orney - General ▁( and ▁others ) ▁may ▁be ▁dis closed . ▁ ▁The ▁position ▁of ▁Att orney - General ▁is ▁distinct ▁from ▁that ▁of ▁Minister ▁of ▁Justice , ▁although ▁the ▁two ▁posts ▁are ▁sometimes ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁same ▁person , ▁for ▁example , ▁Mart yn ▁Fin lay ▁who ▁held ▁both ▁positions ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁ ▁History ▁Histor ically , ▁the ▁post ▁could ▁be ▁held ▁either