Farewell to Biggles: Lower House speaker to retire
SA Parliament’s Lower House speaker and one of the parliament’s most colourful characters will retire at the March 2026 State Election after an almost 20-year career in politics.
Labor MP Leon Bignell, who is the speaker of the House of Assembly, has announced that he will retire from politics at the March 2026 State Election.
Bignell was elected as the member for Mawson in March 2006 and took on the role of speaker in April 2024.
During his time in Parliament, he has also been Tourism Minister, Recreation and Sport Minister, Racing Minister, Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister and Forests Minister.
Prior to entering politics, Bignell worked for two decades as a journalist at outlets ranging from the ABC to Channel 7, Channel 10 and News Ltd, as well as spending two years in Switzerland working as a foreign correspondent.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said that Bignell was “a phenomenon” and wished him well for the next phase of his career.
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“There are few MPs with such a powerful ability to connect with their communities and with people from all walks of life,” he said.
“This power of connection has made him a highly effective leader. The people of Mawson have always known that Leon would fight for them. That was especially true during the KI bushfires.”
Malinauskas said that as speaker, Bignell “served the parliament well, ensuring fair debate and finding common ground across party lines across the chamber”.
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Bignell said it was a privilege to represent the people of Mawson, which spans the state’s regions from McLaren Vale to the western end of Kangaroo Island.
“It’s been my absolute pleasure to work hard for each and every one of them during the past 20 years,” he said.
“To the people of Mawson. Thanks so much for your trust and for backing me in at five successive elections since 2006. I’m still here until March 21. And I’ll be working hard for our area right up to election day.
“Thank you to Premier Peter Malinauskas for his outstanding leadership of our state and for giving South Australians a huge confidence boost with the way they think about their state.”
Today in Question Time, Bignell referenced Chaffey MP Tim Whetstone as being the first person he “chucked out” of parliament, Whetstone telling InDaily “Leon and I have always had a love, hate relationship, with a touch of respect”.
“He was the first person I ever chucked out, and he sent me a text message,” Bignell said.
“He said, how about I come round to your office and have a celebratory beer at knock-offs, and I always appreciate that, Member for Chaffey.”
The news comes after the shock announcement in September that two of the state government’s most senior Cabinet ministers would retire at the next State Election.
Former Deputy Premier Susan Close and former Treasurer Stephen Mullighan both left the State Cabinet after telling the Premier the news that prompted a leadership shakeup.
Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia also paid homage to Bignell.
“We thank Leon for his service to our state, as the member for Mawson, former minister and speaker,” he said.
