Inside the inner circle of Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia’s key influencers

Find out the players who have the ear of the Opposition Leader as he tries to repair relations with key Liberal networks and draws upon his Italian heritage.

Who is in Vincent Tarzia's inner circle? Pictures: File

• Inside Mail’s inner circle

Fledgling Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia is trying to repair relations with key Liberal networks and drawing upon his Italian heritage as he wages an uphill battle to topple a popular Premier.

Installed in the state Liberal top job last August after David Speirs’ leadership spectacularly imploded, Mr Tarzia has reached out to the property sector and other traditional Liberal bedrocks.

His northeastern Adelaide electorate of Hartley has a large Italian community – Mr Tarzia’s grandparents left Italy in the 1950s; his grandfather from Calabria and his grandmother from Campania.

His circle of external influencers has an Italian connection, including SA Produce Market leaders Angelo Demasi and Pat Scalzi, along with Serafino Wines’ Steve Maglieri.

Mr Tarzia, 38, also has attempted to rebuild relations with the hospitality sector, damaged during dying days of the Marshall government because of tough Covid-19 restrictions.

This includes courting the influential Australian Hotels Association, with which Premier Peter Malinauskas has developed close relations.

Mr Tarzia, who won the leadership with crucial votes from the dominant Liberal Right faction, has attempted to move beyond his Moderate heritage – with mixed success.

Originally published as Inside the inner circle of Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia’s key influencers