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Deputy Premier of South Australia
Flag of South Australia.svg
South Australian Coat of Arms.svg
Susan Close MP during 2018 election campaign.jpg
Incumbent
Susan Close

since 21 March 2022
Department of the Premier and Cabinet
Style The Honourable
Member of
Reports to Premier of South Australia
Nominator Premier of South Australia
Appointer Governor of South Australia
on the advice of the premier
Term length At the Governor's pleasure
Formation 26 March 1968
First holder Des Corcoran

The deputy premier of South Australia is the second-most senior officer in the Government of South Australia. The deputy premiership is a ministerial portfolio in the Cabinet of South Australia, and the deputy premier is appointed by the governor on the advice of the premier of South Australia.

The current deputy premier since 2022 is Susan Close of the South Australian Division of the Australian Labor Party.

History

The office of Deputy Premier was created in March 1968. The first to serve in the position was Labor deputy leader Des Corcoran. Prior to that time the term was sometimes used unofficially for the second-highest ranking minister in the government, usually the Treasurer.

In both Labor and Liberal governments, the deputy premier is usually the party's deputy leader.

Two deputy premiers have subsequently become Premier in their own right: Des Corcoran and Rob Kerin. This last happened in 2001, when Rob Kerin became premier after John Olsen's resignation. Dean Brown did the reverse, becoming Deputy Premier to Rob Kerin, 5 years after his own premiership ended at the hands of John Olsen.

South Australia's longest-serving deputy premier is Kevin Foley, who served in the position from March 2002 to February 2011.

Duties

The duties of the deputy premier are to act on behalf of the premier in his or her absence overseas or on leave. The deputy premier has additionally always held at least one substantive portfolio. It is possible for a minister to hold only the portfolio of Deputy Premier, but this has never happened.

If the premier were to die, become incapacitated or resign, the Governor would normally appoint the deputy premier as Premier. If the governing or majority party had not yet elected a new leader, that appointment would be on an interim basis. Should a different leader emerge, that person would then be appointed Premier.

List of deputy premiers of South Australia

No. Name Took office Left office Party Premier
1 Des Corcoran 26 March 1968 16 April 1968 Labor Don Dunstan
2 July 1970 15 March 1979
2 Hugh Hudson 15 March 1979 18 September 1979 Labor Des Corcoran
3 Roger Goldsworthy 18 September 1979 10 November 1982 Liberal David Tonkin
4 Jack Wright 10 November 1982 16 July 1985 Labor John Bannon
5 Don Hopgood 16 July 1985 4 September 1992 Labor
6 Frank Blevins 4 September 1992 14 December 1993 Labor Lynn Arnold
7 Stephen Baker 14 December 1993 28 November 1996 Liberal Dean Brown
8 Graham Ingerson 28 November 1996 7 July 1998 Liberal John Olsen
9 Rob Kerin 7 July 1998 22 October 2001 Liberal
10 Dean Brown 22 October 2001 5 March 2002 Liberal Rob Kerin
11 Kevin Foley 5 March 2002 6 February 2011 Labor Mike Rann
12 John Rau 7 February 2011 19 March 2018 Labor
Jay Weatherill
13 Vickie Chapman 19 March 2018 22 November 2021 Liberal Steven Marshall
14 Dan van Holst Pellekaan 23 November 2021 21 March 2022 Liberal
15 Susan Close 21 March 2022 Incumbent Labor Peter Malinauskas

Living former deputy premiers

Name Term of office Date of birth
Don Hopgood 1985–1992 5 September 1938
Stephen Baker 1993–1996 30 May 1946
Graham Ingerson 1996–1998 27 August 1941
Rob Kerin 1998–2001 4 January 1954
Dean Brown 2001–2002 5 April 1943
Kevin Foley 2002–2011 25 September 1960
John Rau 2011–2018 20 March 1959
Vickie Chapman 2018–2021 21 June 1957
Dan van Holst Pellekaan 2021–2022
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