South Australian Labor's cabinet has been sworn in – with an independent MP making a shock return.
The Member for Stuart Geoff Brock – who defeated former Liberal deputy premier Dan van Holst Pellekaan in Saturday's state election -- will serve as Minister for Local Government, Regional Roads and Veterans Affairs.
Mr Brock served in similar roles in Labor premier Jay Weatherill's cabinet between 2014 and 2018.
His cabinet return means the Malinauskas government will have 15 cabinet ministers, compared to 14 in former premier Steven Marshall's Liberal cabinet.
Mr Brock, from Port Pirie, is one of two regional MP in the new cabinet, alongside south-east MLC Clare Scriven.
Mr Brock said the offer of a cabinet position had come as "a heck of a shock" in a phone call on Tuesday.
He emphasised he was not a Labor minister, but would vote with cabinet on decisions made by it.
"I believe the Upper Spencer Gulf is a powerhouse and it's been neglected."
Premier Peter Malinauskas said Mr Brock's independent would be "maintained and utterly respected".
Former federal MP joins cabinet
Former federal Labor MP Nick Champion has been rewarded for his decision to depart Canberra.
He will serve as Minister for Trade, Investment, Housing, Urban Development and Planning.
He was first elected to federal parliament in 2007.
He most recently served as shadow assistant minister for manufacturing and science from 2016–2019.
Former firefighters' union industrial officer Joe Szakacs has also been elevated to the frontbench, and will serve as Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services.
Both men come into cabinet at the expense of Elizabeth MP Lee Odenwalder, and MLC Emily Bourke.
The latter will serve as an assistant minister to the Premier, while the newly-elected Member for King, Rhiannon Pearce will be assistant minister to the Deputy Premier.
The inclusion of Mr Brock, and the exclusion from cabinet of Ms Bourke, means that Peter Malinauskas will not maintain the 50–50 gender representation he had in his shadow cabinet.
Six of the 15 cabinet ministers will be women.
However, the new Premier said eight of the 17 people on the frontbench — including the two assistant ministers — would be female, which he said was a record level of female representation at the top of government.
"What you'll see is that it’s very diverse, progressive and it is modern," the Premier said.
"Eight out of 17 members are female and that is something I am very proud of.
"It's one of the greatest representation of females at senior government level that we've seen in the history of South Australia, and it's obviously a very substantial increase on the Marshall Liberal government."
Some ministers sworn in over video
Most of the new cabinet was sworn in at Government House this morning.
However, four of the new cabinet members — Andrea Michaels, Kyam Maher, Nat Cook and Katrine Hildyard — attended via video link because they either have COVID-19 or have been classified as close contacts.
As well as her position as Deputy Premier, Susan Close has taken on the roles of Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Minister for Defence and Space Industries, and Minister for Climate, Environment and Water.
The state's new Attorney-General, Mr Maher, will also hold the portfolio of Industrial Relations and Public Sector.
Mr Maher was also sworn in as Aboriginal Affairs Minister.
Labor's longest serving MP Tom Koutsantonis retained his shadow roles of Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, and Minister for Energy and Mining.
Chris Picton is the new Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Zoe Bettison is the Minister for Tourism and Multicultural Affairs, and Nat Cook will be the Human Services Minister.
Blair Boyer is the new Minister for Education, Training and Skills, while Ms Hildyard is now the Minister for Child Protection, Women and the Prevention of Domestic Violence, and Recreation, Sport and Racing.
Ms Scriven is the state's new Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister, and will also take on the Forest Industries portfolio.
Ms Michaels was sworn in as Minister for Small and Family Business, Consumer and Business Affairs, and the Arts.
Stephen Mullighan was sworn in as South Australia's new Treasurer.
He said the cost to taxpayers of adding a 15th ministry had been mostly accounted for through cuts to other ministerial offices.
He said any costs that could not be absorbed elsewhere – such as for office accommodation and a minister's higher pay – amounted to about $630,000 per year.
