Former South Australian Labor treasurer Kevin Foley replaced as Super SA chair by June Roache

Former state Labor treasurer and deputy premier Kevin Foley has been replaced in an almost $50,000-a-year job by the sister of a Crows legend.

Former Labor treasurer Kevin Foley has been replaced in an almost $50,000-a-year job chairing Super SA after just eight months by prominent business leader June Roache.

Mr Foley was appointed to head Super SA’s board last November by Treasurer Stephen Mullighan, who was his chief of staff for three years when Mr Foley was deputy premier and treasurer.

Ms Roache, who has been appointed chair of Super SA until 2025 and reappointed to head ForestrySA, was chief executive of SA Lotteries from 1994 to 2014.

A director of the SA History Trust and the first woman appointed to the SA Football Commission, Ms Roache is the sister of dual Adelaide Crows premiership coach Malcolm Blight.

In a statement, Mr Mullighan said Mr Foley was stepping back from directorships to pursue other interests and thanked him for his service.

June Roache, the first woman to serve of the SA Football Commission, at Adelaide Oval in 2015. Picture: Simon Cross

Mr Mullighan said Ms Roache was an “exemplary board director with a strong CV, demonstrating her clear leadership and sound financial management”.

“Her experience extends to commercial, regulatory and not-for-profit organisations in the gambling, health and wellbeing, sports and arts sectors,” he said.

Super SA is the superannuation provider for SA public sector employees and had $33.2bn in funds under management as at June 30, 2022, according to its latest annual report.

It is administered by the SA Superannuation Board, which is appointed by the Treasurer. The presiding member is paid $46,435 annually.

Mr Foley, who was treasurer and deputy premier from 2002 to 2011, has been a lobbyist and corporate adviser, and until last October spearheaded state Labor’s fundraising arm, SA Progressive Business.

When he was appointed last November, the Opposition branded as outrageous Mr Mullighan’s decision to hand his former boss a “plum government gig” on “a silver platter”.

Three of the South Australian Superannuation Board’s five members are nominated by the Treasurer, including the presiding member.

Former treasurer Kevin Foley makes the finishing touches to the 2009/10 state budget, watched by his then chief of staff Stephen Mullighan.

Mr Foley in 2018 quit an almost $100,000-a-year role as chairman of Funds SA, which invests funds on behalf of public sector super funds and approved authorities.

He resigned after the Liberals won that March’s state election, saying at the time: “I accept the reality of politics … to the winners, the spoils”.

Mr Foley had been appointed to that role in November, 2015, by his successor as Treasurer, Labor’s Tom Koutsantonis, who declared him “exceptionally qualified” to become chairman of the-then $25bn state government investment fund.

Mr Foley receives a publicly funded annual parliamentary pension of about $200,000, it was revealed in 2013.

The Super SA Board is responsible for state government superannuation schemes including Triple S, the Lump Sum, Pension, Income and SA Ambulance Service Superannuation schemes and the Flexible Rollover Product.