Mali 2.0: A Premier who can do as he likes as obstacles fall away
Now onto the business of picking a Cabinet, rewarding, clearing out the “so-called deadwood” and launching a brand-new face into stardom, political commentator Mike Smithson sorts through the post-election chaff.
Mali 2.0 has already emerged as a powerful force during the first working week of his second term as Premier.
In the aftermath of a startling result, which saw the collapse of the Liberal vote and the rise of One Nation, Peter Malinauskas has read the tea leaves and has laid down a key demand.
Labor’s tally in the SA parliament is currently at 32 seats but may climb by a few more, with the Libs plummeting to just half a dozen at best.
They’re now barely an opposition force to be reckoned with.
More eyes are on One Nation which will have at least one seat and perhaps as many as four.
Yes, it’s complicated and points towards potential “landmine” chaos, an expression which Pauline Hanson eloquently taunted the Premier with on Saturday night as she addressed her One Nation faithful.
“Where’s Pauline Hanson today, does anyone know?” was his counter punch yesterday morning as the Premier started work and she had flown back to Canberra for another sitting week.
He wanted to make it clear to her loyal supporters and those who have been elected that he’s leading from a home base, rather than a fly-in, fly-out exercise.
One Nation is revelling in the razzamatazz of a hugely successful 22.1 percent of SA’s primary vote, but even I would ask can they stick together for four years in the lower house or eight years in the Legislative Council?
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The Premier has a huge majority and ultimate control in the lower house, at least, but that doesn’t always translate to harmony.
So, his warning to existing Labor MPs and a swag of new ones was clear and unequivocal.
“I demand discipline and that is a culture which is enforced at every level within the party,” was his stern public advice.
But the Premier must be concerned about the rising tide of One Nation across the northern electoral divide which sent a clear protest vote to Labor and the Liberals.
Labor’s suffered swings against it in Elizabeth, Light, Port Adelaide, Ramsay, Taylor and Giles but is likely to retain those seats with its huge marginal buffer.
Peter Malinauskas is now working on his 2026 cabinet with at least one new face needed and perhaps others.
With an increased army of MPs up for selection, he’ll be delivered the names by Labor caucus after the factional deals are done and then he hands out the portfolios.
The secret of success often lies with rewarding those who’ve delivered him with the win, clearing out the so-called deadwood and perhaps launching a brand-new face into stardom with a junior role.
Essentially, he doesn’t need to start from scratch but there are already rumours doing the rounds.
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Andrea Michaels is no longer an MP, let alone a minister after her sudden resignation in Enfield, which still leaves me mystified.
Does Elder MP Nadia Clancy get a promotion after she retained her seat with a 14 per cent swing to Labor?
She escaped the anger of her local South Road commuters who are often brought to a standstill by roadworks.
Clancy is clearly a Mali favourite being appointed Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in last September’s cabinet reshuffle.
Another second term MP, Olivia Savvas, who also fought hard to win her highly marginal seat of Newland four years ago and increase it by almost seven per cent this time around may also consider she’s up for promotion.
If new faces are to get instant recognition, will Lawrence Ben, Alice Rolls or Aria Bolkus be considered worthy of stepping up?
These names are all significant for different reasons.
Ben is the son-in-law of Labor ‘godfather’ Senator Don Farrell, Rolls has close ties with the Malinauskas family, and the Bolkus name is synonymous with Labor’s brand.
All are talented in their own rights, but also have a useful head start in this competitive and brutal ‘game of thrones’.
And will Badcoe MP Jayne Stinson be brought in from the cold after her sudden and largely unexplained resignation from the front bench in 2021?
On the other side of the fence Ashton Hurn will need to cobble together a shadow cabinet with a team which could comfortably travel in an SUV, well, in the lower house at least.
Arguably, her greatest talent loss is Ngadjuri MP Penny Pratt after One Nation seized its first win.
That also meant Tony Piccolo’s brave switch from Light to Ngadjuri for Labor was a career killing failure.
After a stellar two-decade career, it’s likely he would have won in Light, but is now consigned to the political scrap heap.
When results solidify and Labor caucus meets, expect even louder applause for Mali than he received last time.
This victory, One Nation aside, is one for the ages and sets the party up for at least another eight years in power given its huge majority.
Mali 2.0 can do as he likes and he knows there are few obstacles standing in his way.
Mike Smithson is weekend newsreader and political analyst for 7News.
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