Former premier Steven Marshall has US trade envoy role dangled before him

Former premier Steven Marshall is being touted within Labor as a prospect for a new trade office in Washington DC.

A United States trade envoy role is being dangled before former premier Steven Marshall as Labor tries to prise him from his inner eastern seat.

Senior Labor sources say Marshall could be well-suited to running a planned Washington DC trade office, revealed by The Advertiser on Wednesday, but no talks have taken place.

It is understood Mr Marshall continues to promote investment in SA in an unofficial role and is highly unlikely to accept a state government posting.

But Liberals close to the former premier have been signalling he will quit politics sometime after next Thursday’s state budget, if cost-of-living issues turn in their favour and boost their chances of retaining his ultra-marginal seat of Dunstan.

The state will launch the Washington DC trade office to boost the landmark AUKUS submarine deal, lucrative defence projects and space research.

Mr Marshall, who has described himself as “also the business development manager for the state” when premier, remains passionate about attracting companies to SA – 7000 tech jobs were created in the state under his 2018-22 term in government.

The office, based with Austrade at the Australian Embassy in central Washington near the White House, is designed to boost defence industries, space manufacturing, biomedical science and green investments.

The-then Premier Steven Marshall and the-then Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas at the SA People’s Forum in 2022, ahead of the state election. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Premier Peter Malinauskas last September praised Mr Marshall’s “efforts in attempting to lure investment into South Australia”, declaring this “a good use of his profile and contacts as a former premier” and promising to “continue to support his endeavours in the interests of our state”.

Senior Labor and Liberal sources insisted no talks had taken place with Mr Marshall about future trade or government roles.

It is understood Mr Marshall has just returned from a self-funded Melbourne trip, which included pitching for firms to locate operations at Lot Fourteen, the hi-tech precinct on the former Royal Adelaide Hospital site created under his government.

Former Premier Steven Marshall with former federal Liberal deputy leader Julie Bishop in June, 2022, at the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco. Picture: Instagram

Mr Marshall went to the US twice last year on self-funded trips pitching for tech jobs and investment, telling The Advertiser in September he was “just looking at how we continue to look for opportunities to keep South Australia’s incredible economic momentum going”.

Significantly, by November he was understood to have been pointing out that there was no precedent of a former premier staying on the backbench for a full term after losing power – effectively ending a commitment to serve in Dunstan until the 2026 election.

Dunstan is the state’s most marginal seat after Labor’s landslide 2022 election win. Mr Marshall’s margin is a slender 0.5 per cent.

Mr Malinauskas has spearheaded Labor’s ongoing campaign in the seat and Liberal Anna Finizio, the party’s Hindmarsh candidate at the 2022 federal electorate, has been earmarked as a replacement for Mr Marshall.