Former premier Steven Marshall poised to formally quit, triggering Dunstan by-election

Former premier Steven Marshall could formally quit politics as soon as this week, triggering a by-election.

Former premier Steven Marshall is expected to quit politics as soon as this week, in a bid to position the by-election to replace him as a midterm referendum on the Malinauskas government.

Mr Marshall, who on January 24 announced he would soon retire from state parliament, is expected to formally resign within days.

Parliament resumes for the year on Tuesday but Mr Marshall could decide to formally quit as soon as Monday.

Former premier Steven Marshall outside his Norwood electorate office after a January 24 press conference, at which he announced he would quit state parliament. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Mr Marshall was challenged on Saturday to formally retire by Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis, who insisted the public deserved to know the date for a by-election in his inner-eastern Adelaide seat of Dunstan – the state’s most marginal.

“This by-election in Dunstan is going to cost the people of South Australia over a million dollars. Both political parties have preselected candidates on the basis of Steven Marshall’s announcement,” he said.

Mr Koutsantonis, the longest-serving state MP, argued the state Electoral Commission needed to hire staff to prepare for the by-election and organise logistics.

Accusing the Liberal Party of playing games, Mr Koutsantonis warned the public would not tolerate “a part-time, semi-retired MP in the parliament, who’s promised to resign but actually hasn’t done it yet”.

Premier Peter Malinauskas, speaking on Saturday at a playground opening in Dunstan, said Mr Marshall, as a former premier, deserved “the ability to be able to resign with dignity and grace”.

“He’s earned that right. That’ll be allowed for if they (the Liberals) just get on with actually sorting out when they’re doing it.”

Premier Peter Malinauskas enjoying the Dunstan Adventure Playground in St Peters on Saturday with his daughter Eliza and Dunstan candidate Cressida O'Hanlon. It has reopened after an upgrade. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Opposition Leader David Speirs declined to comment, although the Liberals pointed out the 2022 Bragg by-election to replace Mr Marshall’s former deputy, Vickie Chapman, cost $546,000 – not more than $1m as Mr Koutsantonis claimed the Dunstan poll would cost.

It is understood Mr Marshall is seeking to avoid the drawn-out saga triggered by Ms Chapman, who in April, 2022, stunned Liberal colleagues by announcing her intention to quit politics at the end of that May.

She then penned a formal letter to Speaker Dan Cregan in early May outlining her intention to quit on May 31.

Mr Marshall, having already announced his impending retirement without setting a date, is expected to formally write to Mr Cregan to quit immediately, triggering a likely four-week by-election campaign.

This positions early to mid-March as a likely by-election time frame – effectively the two-year anniversary of Mr Marshall’s Liberal government being deposed after one term by Peter Malinauskas-led Labor.

The by-election will be a contest between three women: Liberal Dr Anna Finizio, Labor’s Cressida O’Hanlon and the Greens Katie McCusker.