A South Australian MP has renewed a call for the so-called gay panic defence for murder to be abolished in light of a decision to retry a man responsible for a fatal bashing.

Hallett Cove man Michael Joseph Lindsay was handed a jail sentence of at least 23 years after he was found guilty of murdering Andrew Negre, who was bashed and stabbed to death in 2011.

Lindsay appealed the decision in the High Court, with his lawyer arguing Mr Negre had caused Lindsay to lose control by making unwanted sexual advances.

Lindsay's lawyer also argued the trial judge misdirected the jury in the case on the subject of provocation, which can act as a partial defence and can reduce murder to manslaughter.

On Wednesday, the High Court found in Lindsay's favour, quashing his conviction and ordering a retrial.

The court found the provocation in Lindsay's case "had a larger dimension than merely an unwanted homosexual advance on a heterosexual man", pointing to other factors including that Mr Negre was a guest at Lindsay's home.

But Greens MP Tammy Franks said the case shows the "gay panic" defence remains part of the law.

She said a parliamentary committee has now reopened a review into the matter.

"It only applies when it's claimed that it was a homosexual male advance," she said.

Greens MP Tammy Franks welcomed the decision to reopen a review of provocation defences in court. ( ABC News )

"It's offensive, it's homophobic, it needs to be removed from South Australia's culture.

"This defence only applies in the case of a man who has killed another man.

"It doesn't apply if a woman makes a non-violent sexual advance to a man or a woman. It doesn't apply if a man makes a non-violent sexual advance to a woman."

In 2013, when Lindsay was convicted, Ms Franks introduced a bill to abolish the "gay panic" defence, but it was reviewed and knocked back.

She welcomed the decision to reopen the review.

"The chair of the legislative committee, who inquired into my bill in the first place, announced that they'd reopen their inquiry," she said.

"I think that's an admission that the committee got it wrong and I hope the Parliament can get it right."

Ms Franks said Queensland was the only other state with a "gay panic" defence and was in the process of abolishing it.