Smitho’s top 10 political moments of 2025
From a leader’s demise to letting the cat out of the bag about an old dog’s new trick. As the year rapidly draws to a close and an election looms, columnist Mike Smithson recaps the state politics moments he deems remarkable.
As the year rapidly draws to a close, and an election looms, some remarkable moments have occurred in state politics at a time when relative calm could have been expected.
I’ve compiled 10 events which have left a personal impression on me in 2025.
It’s my subjective view but it will carry me through to 2026, with no guarantee that any of these events won’t be toppled by something more startling.
They’re in no particular order, so please draw your own conclusions.
Departure of Vincent Tarzia
With the state election in March, the Liberal Party should’ve been consolidating and building on any strength or reputation it has left.
Instead, a handful of mystery MPs plotted the downfall of leader Vincent Tarzia who hadn’t done too much wrong but was never the X-factor to dent the Labor machine.
His successor Ashton Hurn was dealt a near-impossible hand.
She’s been thrown in at the deep end and must quickly pick up the pieces, which she’s attempting to do.
A new taxation reform commission is her major election plank thus far, but such promises confuse average voters who don’t understand or have much interest in the minutiae of broader tax complications.
Soon after Hurn was elected in 2022, I suggested she aim for the party’s deputy leader role, which she didn’t.
Had she done so, her run to the upcoming election would’ve had years of valuable leadership building already under her belt.
David Speirs demise
As revealed across various media commentary roles, I never rated Speirs as the person to lead the Liberals to an election victory.
His own views about his ability have always clashed with mine.
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His drug supply convictions this year and resignation from the SA parliament haven’t softened my stance on him, in fact quite the opposite.
I still don’t think he’s a fit and proper person to hold high public office if he runs again as an independent in the seat of Black, especially if he simply snares victory on preferences.
Black by-election in late 2024
History tells us that by-elections aren’t traditionally won by the government of the day.
The Libs had already lost the seat of former leader Steven Marshall in the Dunstan by-election.
They thought a similar drubbing couldn’t happen again.
It did in Black after Speirs’ departure and the Liberals have struggled with that embarrassment throughout 2025.
Labor departures
With Labor running hot many, including the Premier, were shocked and disappointed to lose long-standing Treasurer Stephen Mullighan and Deputy Leader Susan Close on the same day.
Veterans Dana Wortley and Lee Odenwalder have also decided to call it quits at the next election
These events suddenly thrust Tom Koutsantonis back into the Treasurer’s chair without notice.
He is a true Labor warrior who deserves such recognition.
So, what’s next for Mullighan?
Did the incidental television images of an intense but friendly conversation between him and former Premier and mentor Jay Weatherill in the MCG’s VIP section at the AFL Grand Final tell a story of the future?
With Weatherill soon heading to London as our next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, does an undisclosed opportunity now present for Mullighan?
Whyalla hydrogen plant shelved
This desert mirage was one of the Premier’s few dismal failures, other than promising to fix ambulance ramping.
His so-called ‘vanity project’ wasn’t far from the truth.
As an election promise, it didn’t float too many boats because it was too complex, too far into the future and too costly for most of us to fully comprehend.
The financial disaster of the Whyalla steelworks and the costly taxpayer administration process provided a hydrogen get-out clause which the Premier jumped at but will never admit to.
About $300 million has already been spent with an arguable amount still able to be clawed back, according to the government.
Pangallo for Waite
When the Liberal Party finally fessed up to Frank Pangallo’s pre-selection for the seat of Waite, it had become the party’s worst kept secret.
I’d been told seven weeks earlier that a ‘star recruit’ was waiting in the wings but then- leader Tarzia wouldn’t confirm who it was.
Two phone calls later, including to a stunned Pangallo, confirmed the cat was out of the bag.
Leon Bignell calls it a day as Speaker
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The always-effusive Leon Bignell had assured me retirement from politics wasn’t on his radar.
The rumours were circulating, but he played a straight bat for months.
He’d helped steer the Labor Party back into government by retaining Mawson, despite an unhelpful boundary redistribution.
Bignell was a giant of an MP during the Kangaroo Island bushfires and knew how to win people over with his cheeky and, sometimes, irreverent humour.
I’d written him off from re-election more than once, which he’s always happy to remind me.
Don’t forget my recent tip in InDaily that he’ll be appointed SA’s next Agent-General in London.
The algal bloom public relations fiasco
It’s Murphy’s law that when a leader takes a family holiday, a public relations problem occurs back home.
Just ask Scott Morrison regarding bushfires.
Our algal bloom crisis is well-documented and has now been acted upon.
But in the early days back in March, there was only muted concern from our senior decision makers.
As the toxic bloom spread, they listened to advice that it would dissipate and disappear over the colder winter months, which didn’t occur.
On the Premier’s first day back from July vacation, thought to be in Fiji, I asked if his two-week absence had exacerbated a growing emergency.
He hotly denied that claim saying he’d been up early that morning to view the bloom firsthand and then welcomed the elusive federal Environment Minister Murray Watt that afternoon.
Despite the spin, that period was a perception showpiece of politicians being asleep at the wheel with a natural disaster already out of control.
Tony Piccolo for Frome (Ngadjuri)
Sometimes you just know when a plan is brewing.
Back in February I speculated that veteran Labor MP Tony Piccolo would switch seats from Light to Frome, now Ngadjuri.
He curiously avoided specifics but was then announced as Labor’s new candidate in Frome that same week.
Perhaps he was awaiting the Premier to tell his constituents rather than me.
Was it his decision to shift to new territory or was he pushed?
He’s up against formidable Liberal Penny Pratt who now holds a 3.3 per cent margin after a boundary change.
Poll after poll
Successive polling, even from the major parties, has March 2026 as a whitewash victory for Labor.
I suspect that will be true, but stranger things have happened in politics.
As stated last week in InDaily, I suspect Liberal-held seats will be down to single figures with a clear trend and possible result soon after counting starts.
Could it be that the Liberal Party is looking to this election as a purging of the past, knowing it faces a likely rebuilding process?
Conservative forces may be seeking total party domination in the future replacing the traditional Moderate influence.
An election massacre could feed that narrative, but whoever’s running the show after March 21 is destined for a long and painful road to recovery.
Happy New Year to all.
Mike Smithson is presenter and political analyst for 7News.
