By Sophie Holder,Thomas Kelsall

Copyright abc

Senior Labor Minister Tom Koutsantonis has been appointed South Australian Treasurer in a reshuffle of the Malinauskas government cabinet.

Mr Koutsantonis, who previously held the position from 2014 to 2018, has been the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure, Energy and Mining since Labor came to office in 2022.

He has lost the infrastructure and transport portfolio, which has been picked up by former Recreation, Sport and Racing Minister Emily Bourke.

Meanwhile, Mr Koutsantonis retained the portfolio of energy and mining.

The reshuffle was prompted by the surprise resignations of former Deputy Premier Susan Close and Treasurer Stephen Mullighan from cabinet on Thursday.

Mr Koutsantonis was sworn in at a ceremony at Government House this morning alongside new Deputy Premier Kyam Maher.

Premier Peter Malinauskas said he was pleased Mr Koutsantonis accepted his offer to be Treasurer.

“The Treasury role has its own demands and frankly, you’ve got to have someone in that role that has the capacity to be able to exercise discipline in the government and even on me as Premier,” he said.

“Tom and I enjoy a relationship where we’re able to do that. He has no reservations in speaking truth to power … anyone will tell you that and that’s actually an important asset.”

Mr Koutsantonis said he was excited by the challenge of returning to the treasury portfolio and said there would be no tax changes, per the Malinauskas government’s election promise.

“We’ve got a once in a generation opportunity … South Australia is out of that transition now from post car industry and is now growing,” he said.

“South Australia is really entering a time when it’s going to grow and my job is to make sure we can sustain that by giving business certainty, no surprises and making sure that the Premier’s election commitments are upheld.”

Mr Maher said it was a proud moment to be appointed the first Aboriginal Deputy Premier in SA.

“I’ve been humbled by the messages from Aboriginal leaders and elders over the last 12 or 13 hours,” he said.

“It shows anybody can be anything they want to be.”

Mr Maher will continue as Aboriginal Affairs Minister and Attorney-General.

Ready for new roles

New cabinet minister Lucy Hood, the MP for Adelaide, has been given Dr Close’s former environment portfolio, a significant responsibility amid the state’s current algal bloom crisis.

Ms Hood said her first task in the role would be to speak to the experts on the ongoing bloom.

“My first call walking out of Government House grounds today will be to Professor Mike Steer, so I can be thoroughly briefed,” she said.

Ms Bourke, who in taking on the Infrastructure and Transport portfolio with work on significant projects like the Torrens to Darlington, said she was looking forward to getting started with the job.

“When I took on the role as a minister … I said in that press conference that being the Minister for Sport, Recreation and Racing, and Emergency Services and Correctional Services was all about people-focused portfolios, about connecting community,” she said.

“I feel so privileged to now be able to pivot and build the infrastructure that keeps those communities connected and moving and building our state.”

The other new addition to the ministry, King MP Rhiannon Pearce, will take over the recreation, sport and racing portfolio as well as emergency services and corrections, from Ms Bourke.

Ms Hood and Ms Pearce, from Labor’s right and left factions respectively, were elevated to cabinet by a vote of the Labor caucus on Thursday night.

Elder MP Nadia Clancy has also been elevated to Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, after previously being the Premier’s advocate for suicide prevention.

Katrine Hildyard was sworn into newly separated portfolios of Minister for Women and Minister for Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, which was a recommendation of the state’s recent royal commission.

History making cabinet

Mr Malinauskas said he was proud to lead a cabinet that now had more women than men for the first time in SA’s history.

“When you think about the history of South Australia, this has probably taken a little bit too long to come,” he said.

“We were the first place anywhere in the world to give women the right to vote and run for Parliament.

“But it’s not until 2025 that we now have more women in the cabinet than men, but nonetheless it’s an important milestone.”

Education Minister Blair Boyer has picked up Mr Mullighan’s other former portfolio as Police Minister.

Mr Malinauskas, meanwhile, has added defence and space industries to his responsibilities.