Housing key focus as Cabinet keeps delivering for South Australians

The Malinauskas Labor Government will strengthen its focus on improving the housing outcomes for South Australians, with changes to the South Australian Cabinet.

Premier Peter Malinauskas has today unveiled adjustments to his ministry to best align with key emerging opportunities and challenges in South Australian economy.

These include the housing crisis, population and job market growth accelerated by AUKUS and naval surface shipbuilding opportunities, and the implementation of a nation-leading ban on political donations.

Headlining the changes, the Deputy Premier Susan Close will take on a new responsibility as Minister for Workforce and Population Strategy.

With $2.29 billion in new skills funding agreed with the Commonwealth, it is crucial this expenditure is best aligned with the state’s future workforce needs.

Population and workforce planning functions across Government will be consolidated in the Department for Industry, Innovation and Science.

Underscoring the South Australian Government’s commitment to making housing and home ownership a key priority, the Government will establish a new Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Minister Nick Champion will take on an expanded role in charge of a new housing super portfolio that will cover all aspects of housing, housing infrastructure, urban development and planning, including the ministerial responsibilities related to the oversight of SA Water.

The coordination of these critical and connected portfolio areas under one minister will ensure a focus on delivering good decisions that allow additional homes to be constructed as quickly as possible.

The new super portfolio will include:

• Housing SA
• Housing, Infrastructure, Planning and Development Unit
• SA Water
• Renewal SA including the Urban Renewal Authority Board
• Office of Regional Housing
• Planning and Land Use Services
• Office for Design and Architecture South Australia
• Plan SA
• Office of the Valuer General
• Office of the Surveyor General
• Office of the Registrar General

The new Department of Housing and Urban Development will be led by Mr David Reynolds, who is the current Chief Executive of the Department for Trade and Investment, and former Under Treasurer.

After the resignation of Minister Geoff Brock, the Government will continue to have an independent voice in the Cabinet, with Dan Cregan appointed as Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, as well as Special Minister of State.

As Special Minister of State, Mr Cregan will lead the Government’s implementation of nation-leading political donation reform. He will have responsibility for electoral matters more broadly, the Electoral Commission of South Australia, as well as Parliamentary resources (Electorate Services).

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan will take on an expanded role as Minister for Defence and Space Industries.

Minister Nat Cook will retain critical responsibilities for Human Services and add the portfolio of Minister for Seniors and Ageing Well, where she will focus on improving the lives of senior South Australians and promoting the benefits of an age-diverse, accessible workplace and community.

Minister Joe Szakacs will take responsibility for the critical portfolios of Trade and Investment, Local Government and Veterans Affairs.

Minister Tom Koutsantonis will add Regional Roads to his existing portfolio of Infrastructure and Transport.

Assistant Minister Rhiannon Pearce will take on the role of Assistant Minister for Junior Sport Participation. The Government want more young South Australians moving away from sitting in front of a screens to becoming more active to improve their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

An early connection to sport can also encourage a lifelong love of physical activity and the Assistant Minister will work closely with Minister Katrine Hildyard to get more young South Australians active.

The Cabinet will be supported in its work by several Machinery of Government changes, which will take effect from mid-2024.

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Quotes

Attributable to Peter Malinauskas

I am proud to lead a strong, unified team which is utterly dedicated to delivering better outcomes for South Australians, not just for now, but for the long term.

As a state, we are at a critical juncture. We have a nation-leading economy, low unemployment and a huge pipeline of work coming our way which has the capacity to result in a more complex economy, delivering better jobs and higher wages to South Australians.

This Cabinet reshuffle is designed to help us capitalise these massive opportunities – from delivering AUKUS to capitalising on the global decarbonisation effort.

But we also have some big challenges – and housing is top of the list.

We are already pulling every lever to build more homes, and Minister Champion’s new housing super portfolio will give us the opportunity to make sure we are utterly co-ordinated in those efforts.

South Australia is growing, and we need a coordinated approach to developing the skilled workforce we need to build the workforce we will need, and to that end, I am grateful the Deputy Premier Susan Close has agreed to take on the challenge of Minister for Workforce and Population Strategy.

I am also pleased that my Cabinet will retain a strong independent voice, with Dan Cregan joining the ministry. He will play a crucial role overseeing Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, and as Special Minister of State will lead our nation-leading efforts to ban political donations.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Ministry – Order of Precedence

The Hon PETER BRYDEN MALINAUSKAS, BCom, MP
Premier
Member of Executive Council

The Hon Dr SUSAN ELIZABETH CLOSE, BA (Hons), PhD, MP
Deputy Premier
Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science
Minister for Climate, Environment and Water
Minister for Workforce and Population Strategy
Member of Executive Council

The Hon KYAM JOSEPH MAHER, LLB, BEc, GDLP, MLC
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Attorney-General
Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector
Member of Executive Council
Leader of Government Business in the Legislative Council

The Hon ANASTASIOS (TOM) KOUTSANTONIS, MP
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Minister for Energy and Mining
Member of Executive Council
Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly

The Hon STEPHEN CAMPBELL MULLIGHAN, BA, MP
Treasurer
Minister for Defence and Space Industries
Member of Executive Council

The Hon ZOE LEE BETTISON, BA, MBA, MP
Minister for Tourism
Minister for Multicultural Affairs
Member of Executive Council

The Hon CHRISTOPHER (CHRIS) JAMES PICTON, LLB/LP, BA, MP
Minister for Health and Wellbeing
Member of Executive Council

The Hon KATRINE ANNE HILDYARD, BA, MP
Minister for Child Protection
Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing
Member of Executive Council

The Hon NATALIE (NAT) FLEUR COOK, BNsg, MP
Minister for Human Services
Minister for Seniors and Ageing Well
Member of Executive Council

The Hon CLARE MICHELE SCRIVEN, GDipMgmt, GCertPubSecMgmt, MLC
Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister for Forest Industries
Member of Executive Council

The Hon BLAIR INGRAM BOYER, BA, LLB, MP
Minister for Education, Training and Skills
Member of Executive Council

The Hon ANDREA MICHAELS, LLB, BCom, GDLP, MP
Minister for Small and Family Business Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs Minister for Arts
Member of Executive Council

The Hon JOSEPH (JOE) KARL SZAKACS, LLB/LP, MP
Minister for Trade and Investment
Minister for Local Government
Minister for Veterans Affairs
Member of Executive Council

The Hon NICHOLAS (NICK) DAVID CHAMPION, MP
Minister for Housing and Urban Development
Minister for Housing Infrastructure
Minister for Planning
Member of Executive Council

The Hon DANIEL (DAN) ROY CREGAN, BA, LLB, LLM, MP
Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services
Special Minister of State Member of Executive Council

The Hon EMILY BOURKE MLC
Assistant Minister for Autism

Ms RHIANNON PEARCE MP
Assistant Minister for Junior Sport Participation