Picton loses health as Mali’s new ministers revealed
The re-elected Malinauskas government has switched its health minister to a new role after a controversial patient information leak. New faces have been elevated and new ministers are at the helm of education, environment and the arts. Read the lineup.
Chris Picton has been dropped from his health job after the controversial sharing of patient information marred Labor’s state election campaign, Premier Peter Malinauskas announcing his new Cabinet lineup this morning.
Former Education and Police Minister Blair Boyer has instead taken on Health and Wellbeing at a swearing-in ceremony led by Governor Frances Adamson at Government House this morning where three new faces were elevated after the party’s landslide win on Saturday night .
Picton was awarded “a super portfolio”, taking on State Development, AI and Veteran Affairs.
Former Environment Minister Lucy Hood stepped up into the Education, Training, and Skills, Autism and the Minister for the City of Adelaide roles.
While first-time Unley MP and former lawyer Alice Rolls scored an immediate Cabinet role as Child Protection, Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Minister.
Well-seasoned performer Kyam Maher is taking on the arts portfolio that has caused controversy for Premier Peter Malinauskas around the dropping of a controversial author during Writer’s Week – with his long list of responsibilities including Deputy Premier, Attorney-General and Aboriginal Affairs Minister.
Labor stalwart Tom Koutsantonis holds onto the Treasurer role while Katrine Hildyard has picked up Nat Cook’s old job in Human Services.
Joe Szakacs saw his trade portfolio swapped for Infrastructure and Transport – with Emily Bourke switched from the role to take on Climate, Environment and Water and Tourism.
Picton apologised “unreservedly” last month for the email blunder that confused two patients with the same name and provided medical details to journalists. The incident was revealed by the Liberal Party in the latter half of the state election campaign.
The Premier today telling why Picton’s new “super portfolio” was invaluable to the state government moving forward.
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“South Australia stands on the cusp of significant economic opportunity, and we are determined to ensure that opportunity translates into secure, well-paid jobs and more housing for South Australians,” he said.
“That is why I have established a new economic super-portfolio of State Development, uniting Industry, Trade and Investment, Innovation and Science, Workforce Planning, Defence and Space Industries, and Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy, sharpening our focus to attract investment, create jobs and drive economic growth.
“As AUKUS gathers pace, a coordinated and strategic approach to these industries will be critical to maximising opportunities for local workers and businesses, and Minister Picton will be working closely with me as we drive this effort.
“At the same time, the opportunities across our metals sector, from copper in the far north, to steel at Whyalla, to critical minerals at Port Pirie, will help underpin thousands of jobs and support regional communities.”
The new roles have been allocated after two high-profile faces left the Labor frontbench, former Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison and former Human Services Minister Nat Cook, Bettison after 12 years and Cook after eight. Another vacancy was created when former Arts Minister Andrea Michaels retired at the state election, with Lawrence Ben comfortably claiming her seat of Enfield on the weekend.
Ben – a former adviser to Premier Peter Malinauskas and the son-in-law of Labor heavyweight and federal Trade Minister Don Farrell – was given the job of Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, keeping a close eye on copper, critical minerals, the northern water project and the Whyalla Steelworks. Sarah Andrews was awarded the job of Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Arts.
New on the frontbench is Nadia Clancy who has Small and Family Business along with Multicultural Affairs, while Michael Brown was elevated to the roles of Police and Corrections Minister along with Consumer and Business Affairs.
Clare Scriven was announced as the Primary Industries and Regional Development along with Forestries Minister despite the party not yet knowing if she will win a spot in the upper house. Malinauskas said “We wait to find out the result, although there is much hope within our circles”.
Who are the new ministers?
Nadia Clancy
Clancy was first elected as the member for Elder in 2022 and was an Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in the last government.
Michael Brown
Brown is the member for Florey and was an Assistant Minister for Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Economy, Defence and Space Industries – he was elevated to Police and Corrections Minister along with Consumer and Business Affairs.
Alice Rolls
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Rolls is a first-time MP after winning the once blue-ribbon seat of Unley convincingly on the weekend, she has the job of Child Protection, Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Minister.
The Full List
Premier Peter Malinauskas
Kyam Maher
Deputy Premier
Attorney-General
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Minister for Industrial Relations
Minister for Arts
Special Minister of State
Leader of Government Business in the Legislative Council
Tom Koutsantonis
Treasurer
Minister for Energy and Mining
Minister for Public Sector
Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly
Chris Picton
Minister for State Development
Minister for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy
Minister for Defence and Space Industries
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Member of Executive Council
Katrine Hildyard
Minister for Human Services
Minister for Seniors and Ageing Well
Minister for Women
Clare Scriven
Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development
Minister for Forest Industries
Blair Boyer
Minister for Health and Wellbeing
Joseph Szakacs
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Nick Champion
Minister for Housing and Urban Development
Minister for Housing Infrastructure
Minister for Planning
Emily Bourke
Minister for Climate, Environment and Water
Minister for Tourism
Rhiannon Pearce
Minister for Emergency Service
Minister for Local Government
Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing
Lucy Hood
Minister for Education, Training and Skills
Minister for Autism
Minister for the City of Adelaide
Michael Brown
Minister for Police
Minister for Correctional Services
Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs
Nadia Clancy
Minister for Small and Family Business
Minister for Multicultural Affairs
Alice Rolls
Minister for Child Protection
Minister for Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence
Lawrence Ben
Assistant Minister for Copper, Steel, Critical Metals and Minerals
Sarah Emily Andrews
Assistant Minister for Arts
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