SA Premier Peter Malinauskas brings key independents into new Labor state ministry
The new Labor Government has moved cunningly to entrench the power of conservative independents following last Saturday’s election landslide.
The new Labor Government in South Australia has moved cunningly to entrench the power of conservative independents, promoting key MPs to senior positions in Peter Malinauskas’ first ministry following last Saturday’s election landslide.
Giant-slaying independent Geoff Brock – who defeated deputy premier and touted future Liberal leader Dan van Holst Pellekaan last weekend – has made a return to the frontbench as Minister for Local Government.
A former Mayor of the Iron Triangle town of Port Pirie, Mr Brock became a major figure in SA politics when he sided with Jay Weatherill after the 2014 election to deliver Labor minority government, famously wooed by Mr Weatherill over a ham and pineapple pizza known as “The Big Kahuna” at Port Pirie’s A1 Pizza Bar in the days after that poll.
The other Big Kahuna in the new Malinauskas’ line-up is former Liberal MP Dan Cregan, who infamously quit the party late last year and increased his margin last Saturday as an independent in the Adelaide Hills seat of Kavel.
Mr Malinauskas and Labor have backed Mr Cregan to stay on as the independent Speaker of the House, a move which will further heighten his profile and keep him more aligned to the Labor side for backing a role he sought after his defection from the Liberals.
Peter Malinauskas, a lifelong member of Labor’s Right Faction who came up through the retail union the SDA, has also ensured that key frontbench positions remain with fellow right-wingers.
Confirming the status quo from his four years in Opposition, every key senior position will go to fellow Right Faction MPs, with Steven Mulligan serving as Treasurer, Chris Picton as Health Minister and Tom Koutsantonis as Transport and Infrastructure Minister, while Dr Susan Close from the Left Faction will be Deputy Premier and Education Minister.
The only potential headache for Mr Malinauskas is his eyebrow-raising decision to knock off the well-regarded Lee Odenwalder and bring in his friend former federal MP Nick Champion straight into the ministry.
Mr Champion never held high office during his 15 years in Canberra and embarrassed the Labor Party during the state campaign when it was revealed he didn’t even live in his working class state seat of Taylor, but in fancy North Adelaide.
On the upside, one historic first in the ministry is that indigenous lawyer Kyam Maher becomes the state’s new Attorney-General and will be the first initiated Aboriginal person to hold the position of Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. He will also be Minister for Industrial Relations & Public Sector.
“Today I am proud to announce my fresh, united team which will deliver Labor’s plan for the future of SA,” Mr Malinauskas said yesterday.
“My new Cabinet blends experience and fresh talent and will importantly also include an independent MP sitting at the Cabinet table. Labor took a comprehensive plan for the future of our state to the election and our plan was endorsed by the people of South Australia.”
In another move aimed at shoring up country independents, Mr Malinauskas made a deliberate point of making the South East city of Mt Gambier his first regional visit as premier this week, the seat being held by former Liberal Troy Bell as an independent.
The shattered SA Liberals are meanwhile busying themselves finding a new leader, with former environment minister David Spiers, who defied the Labor swing in his seat of Black, emerging as the only likely candidate for the job.
Mr Spiers is linked to the moderates but is also a social conservative on issues such as abortion and euthanasia which damaged the Liberals’ standing among Christian voters in the lead-up to the poll.
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