Premier-elect Peter Malinauskas talks candidly on morning of officially being sworn in

Premier-elect Peter Malinauskas has apologised for forgetting to thank his wife during his victory speech, as he laid out his priorities in morning radio interviews.

Peter Malinauskas has spoken candidly on the morning of officially being sworn in as Premier and laid out his initial priorities.

Mr Malinauskas said the issue of ambulance ramping was “omnipresent” when speaking to FIVEaa radio, and backed that up again on ABC.

“I contend that if you go out to a suburban shopping centre and spend some time talking to random punters, you’re not going to have to go too far before you find someone who’s got a lived experience of ramping or the ambulance not rolling up on time,” he said.

Premier-elect Peter Malinauskas on election day. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Kelly Barnes

He told ABC that ramping cannot be totally eliminated, but instead will be looking to minimise levels to a level that “allow ambulances to start rolling up on time”.

He said an extra 350 ambulance officers, split over the next two financial years, will help with demand.

In a self-described embarrassing moment, Mr Malinauskas said that while making last minute changes to his victory speech, his wife Annabel warned him to not get to “mushy” when making his various statements of thanks.

Consequently, when thanking his mother and father, Mr Malinauskas said he felt a lump start to form in his throat, so skipped thanking Annabel with the aim to return and thank her at the end.

Unfortunately, Mr Malinauskas forgot to come back to thanking his wife and children, but ensured he mentioned their support on radio.

“I thank mum and dad and, and so forth, and I could feel the old lump in the throat there, so I’ve jumped to the next part of the speech with the intention to come back to thank Annabel and the kids, and then I didn’t,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“She (Annabel) is the most extraordinary human being I know, and her love and support, I just would not be here, I just wouldn’t do the job without it,” he said.

Mr Malinauskas will be officially sworn in at 10am at Government House, and shortly after is set to meet with Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, also the state co-ordinator during the pandemic, chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier and SA Health chief executive Chris McGowan on Covid rules.

The Advertiser exclusively revealed on Sundaythat Mr Malinauskas will challenge Covid-19 authorities on mask wearing, isolation and close contact rules.

Mr Malinauskas said he would be “closely examining all of the options that are available to the government to ensure that a transition back to normality occurs as expeditiously as possible but in a safe way”.

Mr Malinauskas has laid out his plans on Monday morning. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Kelly Barnes

He backed up his plan on Monday morning, and said he will be “asking some questions” about the Emergency Management Act, closely after its two-year anniversary.

But he said “there may be no changes”, dependent on the capability of SA’s healthcare system and “values” that Mr Malinauskas aims to uphold.

He reiterated that it was now his role to scrutinise government bodies.

“The truth is that in our system of government, the bureaucracy has to be held to account,” he said.

“They have to be held to account by an elected body that like the body is now my government.”

He also said that legislation to change shop trading hours to allow stores to open from 9am on Sunday will be presented to parliament in due course, with suburban shopping on public holidays to be cut outside the CBD.

“Public holidays will be public holidays under my government,” Mr Malinauskas said.

But he said those in suburbia that wish to open on public holidays will be allowed to.

Mr Malinauskas said in shopping centres, large chains such as Coles, Woolworths, Myer and David Jones would not be allowed to open on public holidays, in order to protect small business.

“Everybody else will be able to trade 24/7 days a week, 365 days of the year,” he said.

Speaking about forming his parliament, Mr Malinauskas said that a decision on who would be speaker in his government had not been decided.

He could not confirm or deny whether Kavel MP Dan Cregan would be speaker.

“There are a number of independents that are potentially going to get elected,” he said.

“So we will make that decision once we know exactly the options that we’ve got available for us.”