South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has downplayed speculation he could be in the running as Anthony Albanese’s successor, saying there is already a “suite of genuine leadership capability” in federal politics.
The 45-year-old has gone from strength to strength since winning the state’s election in 2022.
He has long been the most popular leader in the country and earlier this year again led Labor to a majority-expanding landslide victory that nearly wiped out the South Australian Liberals.
Mr Malinauskas’ star power among party faithful was self-evident by the roars and applause he received at Labor’s 50th national conference in Adelaide this week, inviting suggestions he could be destined for Canberra.
But asked about it on Sunday, he said he felt he was “making a contribution to the Federation by getting South Australia firing on all cylinders”.
“Now we are, and I hope that makes the contribution to the country as best as I can,” Mr Malinauskas told Sky News.
He said he enjoyed being among his federal colleagues and that they “do a lot of good work together”.
“But my focus and my responsibility is on my home state and bringing it up to the full potential that I’ve always believed it’s had,” he said.
He also denied he would tempted even if he was drafted.
“No, because I look at the federal front bench and I see a suite of talent, a suite of genuine leadership capability, and … any way I can support them, I’d love to,” Mr Malinauskas said.
“But I think they’re in pretty good hands with Anthony.”
One Nation ‘biggest upheaval’ in politics
The South Australian election in March was widely seen as a test of One Nation’s ability to turn its poll power into seats.
It won four lower house seats and three in the upper house.
It has since clinched the NSW federal seat of Farrer left vacant by ex-Liberal leader Sussan Ley, who held the electorate for a quarter of a century.
While One Nation’s gains have proven an existential concern for the Coalition, polling has shown the populist party eating into Labor’s working-class vote and millennials disillusioned with the major parties.
Mr Malinauskas spent much of his speech to Labor’s national conference taking swipes at One Nation, calling it a “paradox that the more a political party bangs on about personal responsibility, the more likely they are to find a group of people to blame”.
“Doesn’t matter if it’s migrants, or minorities, it’s always grounded in grievance – defined by division,” he said as he opened the conference.
“Always complaining that Australia is going backwards, and then in literally the same breath arguing that we should back to the past. It’s always pessimistic.”
In his interview on Sunday, Mr Malinauskas said he did not know how One Nation would fare going into the 2028 federal election, but called its rise “the biggest upheaval … in terms of the Australian political dichotomy”.
“And I don’t think anyone really knows how this movie is going to end,” he said, adding that he thought it “incomprehensible only a few months ago that another party would outpoll the Liberal Party”.
He did say a lack of “substance” to One Nation’s policies might make voters lose interest but that “time will tell”.
Labor national secretary Paul Erickson was more confident in the party’s ability to withstand the political turbulence.
Also speaking to Sky, the political operative behind Labor’s federal wins in 2022 and 2025 said it “has become clear that neither the Coalition nor One Nation could govern without each other”.
“So at the next election, the choice will be between a Labor government that’s delivering real change, providing immediate relief now, and making real changes that the country needs on the economy, on housing, on healthcare … or an alternative of a chaotic and divided Coalition-One Nation government,” Mr Erickson said.
“That’s the case we have to build and set out over the next two years.”
He also said Labor was “preparing for … an election where we will face an opponent in the form of the Coalition and One Nation working together”.
Angus Taylor has ruled out joining forces with One Nation, warning that the party would inflict “an eternity of pain” on Australia.
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