Premier Peter Malinauskas says Voice campaign won’t disrupt ‘day job’

Fresh from a China trip, Premier Peter Malinauskas is insisting his agenda of a uni merger, health and energy won’t be disrupted by another core promise.

Premier Peter Malinauskas is vowing the campaign for the federal Voice to Parliament won’t disrupt his “day job”, insisting his “core focus” would be on a major agenda including health infrastructure, hydrogen energy and a university merger.

In an interview with The Advertiser from Shanghai airport after leading a South Australian trade delegation to China, Mr Malinauskas said he was confident the business group had made positive inroads into dismantling tariffs on wine and other key exports.

The chief of Australia’s largest wine producer, Treasury, said the delegation was “very impactful” and sent a clear message to Chinese authorities that business and government were co-operating to “unlock the significant opportunities ahead across multiple industries and sectors.”

Premier Peter Malinauskas in Beijing with Chinese Vice Minister for the Ministry of Commerce Madame Guo Tingting. Picture: Supplied

Mr Malinauskas said he had a “pretty important agenda” upon returning home from China on Friday, despite telling parliament on August 30 that SA Labor would “be doing everything it possibly can to see to the delivery of a Yes vote” in the October 14 referendum.

Outlining this agenda, he listed legislation before the parliament to merge the universities of Adelaide and South Australia, plus landmark laws that slash red tape for hydrogen and renewable energy investors.

“My advocacy for the federal Voice isn’t going to get in the way of me doing the day job, though,” he told The Advertiser.

“We’ve got a pretty serious agenda between now and the end of the year and that’s got to remain the core focus.

“I’ve also got to keep on top of the rollout of the health infrastructure, as well as dealing with preschool (three-year-old access) and the progress on the (North-South road corridor) tunnels. “These are issues that have got to be addressed day-to-day that I can’t be distracted from. But any political leader, though, they’ve got to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. So at every opportunity, I’ll campaign for the Voice.”

Treasury Wine Estates chief executive officer Tim Ford. Picture: Aaron Francis / The Australian

Treasury Wine Estates chief executive officer Tim Ford said the 40-person business, university and government delegation to Singapore and China, from September 14-21, had been a success.

“It was very impactful to have such a high-level, senior business delegation in the China market with the Premier – all very passionate South Australians from different industries, including our wine industry,” he told The Advertiser.

“I know from the conversations I had with customers whilst there, the message this visit sent leaves no doubt that business and government are ready to focus together on the future and unlock the significant opportunities ahead across multiple industries and sectors.”

Mr Malinauskas appeared on state-run Beijing news channel CGTN, which the delegation interpreted as a positive sign of Chinese government intent on tariffs, arguing for a stabilisation of the Australia-China relationship.

“We have a range of principles and views that we must simply stick by but we want to be able to engage with China thoughtfully, and I don’t think there are too many Australians who want to see nationalistic-style policies inform domestic political outcomes over practical outcomes that matter to the Australian people,” he told CGTN.