Knoll, Whetstone, Ridgway out: Premier Steven Marshall accepts resignation of scandal-plagued trio as sweeping reshuffle looms

Premier Steven Marshall will announce a new cabinet on Tuesday, after the resignation of three senior State Government ministers on Sunday.

• SCANDAL 1: ICAC to investigate years of MPs’ travel claims
• SCANDAL 2: Ridgway signed blank time sheets for driver
• Analysis: Who will come out on top after reshuffle?

The State Government’s reshuffled cabinet will be announced on Tuesday, Premier Steven Marshall says.

Mr Marshall said on Monday he is “finalising those final details” and will reveal the new-look cabinet lineup in the next 24 hours.

“I’m well down the track of all the deliberations that are necessary to form the reshuffled cabinet,” he said.

“There are not going to be major changes in terms of portfolios, but of course there will be new faces coming into the cabinet.”

Mr Marshall said it will “all be revealed very quickly”, but stressed the new cabinet will not be announced on Monday.

“I will be making my decisions in the next 24 hours and as soon as I’ve made them, the media and the people of South Australia will be informed,” he said.

On Sunday, three ministers sensationally resigned amid intense public scrutiny of their perks and travel expenses.

Former ministers Stephan Knoll, David Ridgway and Tim Whetstone all quit on Sunday after revelations over country travel entitlements and use of a ministerial chauffeur.

Upper house president Terry Stephens will also leave that senior parliamentary position after weeks of scrutiny over his living arrangements and claiming of country MPs’ travel payments.

Mr Marshall will announce replacements in coming days.

Premier, Stephen Marshall at Government House after the announcement of a cabinet reshuffle on Sunday.. Picture: MATT LOXTON

The reshuffle will be the first since the election in 2018, an unusually long period of stability.

Mr Marshall said the furore surrounding the MPs’ taxpayer-funded entitlements had become a distraction for the Government, which needed clear air to focus on the COVID-19 crisis.

“We are in very, very tough times at the moment,” Mr Marshall said.

“The focus of the cabinet must be 100 per cent in dealing with the health and economic issues that are confronting our state.

“This was a distraction that was not going to go away. These ministers have recognised this.

“I genuinely believe there was no deliberate dishonesty.”

Primary Industry and Resources Minister Tim Whetstone has lost his job after repaying travel expenses he had claimed.

Trade and Tourism Minister David Ridgway is also gone.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating 10 years of country MPs’ travel expenses, after Mr Tarzia allowed their public release for the first time in parliament.

Mr Knoll, who admitted three incorrect travel claims but also paid back almost $30,000 due to ambiguity in the rules, said: “I’ve been proud to serve as a minister in this government and proud to have played my part in delivering for all South Australians.

“I have offered my resignation … so the government can focus on our response to the global pandemic and improving the lives of the people of SA, which is our priority.”

Mr Whetstone, who repaid nearly $7000, said approving GM crops in SA and cracking down on fruit fly coming across the border had been two major achievements during his time as a minister.

Premier Steven Marshall is waving farewell to his embattled Transport Minister Stephan Knoll and two other ministers.

“I apologise sincerely to the people of SA for the administrative errors … which have led me to make this decision,” Mr Whetstone said.

“Many of our primary industries have been doing it tough over the past two and a quarter years with drought, hailstorms, bushfires and now the coronavirus pandemic disrupting global markets.

“It has been important to have a government committed to and focused on regional SA to support these industries.”

Mr Ridgway, who has admitted to signing blank time sheets for a ministerial driver and allowing him to courier around fellow Liberal MPs, said he resigned with a “heavy heart”.

“The timing is right for me to step back from the ministry,” he said.

“Working with the Marshall team to help shape the future direction of SA, ensuring our state is even stronger, more prosperous and more resilient, has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.”

All three men have committed to remaining in parliament and working for their communities. The reshuffle will also force Mr Marshall to find new leadership in transport and infrastructure, as key decisions loom on South Road and a $12.9 billion building plan rolls out.

Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said Mr Marshall had failed to show leadership by sacking the ministers sooner.

The paid back expenses became public on Tuesday last week, and signing of blank ministerial chauffeur time sheets were revealed in Saturday’s Advertiser.

“A leader would have sacked these ministers immediately,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“Even after his ministers resigned, Steven Marshall wouldn’t concede they had done anything wrong.

“Worse still, he wouldn’t rule out welcoming them back into his cabinet.

“This is a government in chaos. It has lost nearly a quarter of its cabinet in one day.”

POLL (FIRST POSTED BEFORE THE RESIGNATIONS)

Mr Marshall says the new cabinet, likely to be sworn in on Tuesday, will go to the next election in March 2022.

Treasurer Rob Lucas is expected to stay in his role right up until then, when he will retire after almost four decades in state parliament.

The Advertiser contacted Mr Stephens for comment on Sunday.

Taxpayers may be hit for silks

Taxpayers could foot the legal bill for two former state government ministers who have hired some of the best criminal lawyers in Australia in the wake of the allowance scandal.

Former transport minister Stephan Knoll has hired Tom Duggan QC while ex-agriculture minister Tom Whetstone has engaged David Edwardson QC. The appointments were made after the state’s corruption watchdog announced it was investigating whether any MPs who had claimed the country members allowance over the past decade had rorted the system.

A State Government spokeswoman confirmed on Sunday that it was possible for Mr Knoll and Mr Whetstone to have their legal bills covered by the government.

But the payment of such legal fees was not automatic and the pair would need to apply for reimbursement – something ministers in previous governments had done.

The spokeswoman said the government had not yet received any requests from ministers to pay legal costs.

“If a request is made in the future, there is a process that is available to seek reimbursement,” she said.

“That process includes having to meet a certain criteria and approval from the Attorney-General.”

Mr Whetstone said he was “not seeking anything from the taxpayer”.

Mr Knoll did not respond to The Advertiser’s request for comment.

Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Bruce Lander confirmed the inquiry on Thursday.

Both Barossa-based Mr Knoll and Riverland-based Mr Whetstone resigned from cabinet on Sunday after admitting to errors or confusion over their country members allowance payments.

It is not unusual for people to appoint lawyers ahead of an ICAC inquiry.

- Elizabeth Henson