Winners are grinners: After leading Labor back into government, Peter Malinauskas vows to hit the ground running

Surrounded by new female MPs and grinning from ear to ear, Premier-elect Peter Malinauskas says he won’t waste any time in implementing his ambitious agenda.

Premier-elect Peter Malinauskas says work to implement his future-focused agenda for the state will begin almost immediately, after his decisive election victory.

Appearing alongside deputy leader Susan Close and five new MPs – Lucy Hood (Adelaide), Nadia Clancy (Elder), Rhiannon Pearce (King), Olivia Savvas (Newland) and Erin Thompson (Davenport) – Mr Malinauskas said South Australians had emphatically endorsed Labor’s policies.

“If there’s one thing that excites me more than anything else about our success electorally yesterday it’s that we’ve won with a policy vision and an agenda for the future of our state,” he said.

Outgoing Premier Steven Marshall has yet to formally resign his commission but is expected to do so tomorrow. On Sunday afternoon he resigned as Liberal leader and said he took “full responsibility” for the devastating defeat.

Premier-elect of South Australia Peter Malinauskas with deputy leader Susan Close and new MPs Nadia Clancy, Olivia Savvas, Lucy Hood, Erin Thompson and Rhiannon Pearce at Prospect on Sunday morning. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

New Labor MPs Nadia Clancy, Lucy Hood, Rhiannon Pearce, Olivia Savvas and Erin Thompson with existing MP Nat Cook at the party’s election night party. Picture: Nat Cook

In addition to the five who appeared at the press conference outside a Prospect cafe, Mr Malinauskas said it was possible that Labor would also eventually claim victory in the seats of Gibson and Dunstan – where former Premier Steven Marshall is locked in a tight battle with Labor candidate Cressida O’Hanlon.

Mr Malinauskas led the Labor Party to power on Saturday after just one term in opposition.

Mr Malinauskas said he and Ms Close had been just weeks into their term of opposition when they developed a strategy to win back government in 2022. Part of that, he said, was the recruitment of high-quality and hardworking candidates.

Premier-elect Peter Malinauskas outside his home on Sunday morning. Picture: Emma Brasier.

Mr Malinauskas chats with voters at Prospect. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

He thanked voters for placing their trust in Labor.

“I woke up very early this morning fully conscious of the fact that the people of our state have put their confidence and their faith in my leadership and the ambition of my team,” he said.

“That is an incredibly humbling thing to think about.”

Mr Malinauskas also said he wished the Liberal Party well as it recovers from the defeat, and added that a strong opposition is important for the government.

In his victory speech just before 10pm last night, Mr Malinauskas vowed to deliver “a fairer, better society and more opportunity for those who need it most”.

Labor is ahead of the Liberals 27 to 16 with more than half of the statewide vote counted.

There will be at least four independents. See the latest results in every seat here.

Mr Malinauskas has visited Governor Frances Adamson this morning for guidance about the transition but is understood to have not yet formally notified her of his ability to form government.

This is because he is awaiting the outcome of seats including Gibson and Waite.

Mr Malinauskas said formalities around the transfer of government, which requires the authorisation of the Governor, would be finalised in the coming days.