Tom Koutsantonis
Australian politician
title: "Tom Koutsantonis" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["members-of-the-south-australian-house-of-assembly", "labor-right-politicians", "australian-people-of-greek-descent", "1971-births", "living-people", "treasurers-of-south-australia", "21st-century-australian-politicians", "politicians-from-adelaide", "people-educated-at-adelaide-high-school"] description: "Australian politician" topic_path: "geography/australia" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Koutsantonis" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Australian politician ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| honorific-prefix | The Honourable |
| name | Tom Koutsantonis |
| honorific-suffix | MP |
| image | Tom Koutsantonis.jpg |
| office | Treasurer of South Australia |
| term_start | 19 September 2025 |
| premier | Peter Malinauskas |
| predecessor | Stephen Mullighan |
| term_start1 | 26 March 2014 |
| term_end1 | 19 March 2018 |
| premier1 | Jay Weatherill |
| predecessor1 | Jay Weatherill |
| successor1 | Rob Lucas |
| office2 | Minister for Energy and Mining |
| term_start2 | 24 March 2022 |
| premier2 | Peter Malinauskas |
| predecessor2 | Dan van Holst Pellekaan |
| term_start3 | 8 February 2011 |
| term_end3 | 19 March 2018 |
| as Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy | |
| premier3 | Jay Weatherill |
| predecessor3 | Paul Holloway |
| successor3 | Dan van Holst Pellekaan |
| office4 | Minister for Infrastructure and Transport |
| term_start4 | 24 March 2022 |
| term_end4 | 19 September 2025 |
| premier4 | Peter Malinauskas |
| predecessor4 | Corey Wingard |
| successor4 | Emily Bourke |
| term_start5 | 21 January 2013 |
| term_end5 | 26 March 2014 |
| premier5 | Jay Weatherill |
| predecessor5 | Pat Conlon |
| successor5 | Stephen Mullighan |
| office6 | [Father of the |
| Parliament of South Australia](parliament-of-south-australia) | |
| term_start6 | 19 March 2022 |
| predecessor6 | Rob Lucas |
| {{cisb | Other Offices (2009–2018) |
| office7 | Minister for Automotive Transformation |
| premier7 | Jay Weatherill |
| term_start7 | 26 March 2014 |
| term_end7 | 27 May 2014 |
| predecessor7 | office established |
| successor7 | Susan Close |
| office8 | Minister for Small Business |
| premier8 | Jay Weatherill |
| term_start8 | 26 March 2014 |
| term_end8 | 19 January 2016 |
| predecessor8 | Tom Kenyon |
| successor8 | Martin Hamilton-Smith |
| premier9 | Mike Rann |
| Jay Weatherill | |
| term_start9 | 25 March 2010 |
| term_end9 | 21 January 2013 |
| predecessor9 | Russell Wortley |
| successor9 | Tom Kenyon |
| office10 | Minister for Housing & Urban Development |
| premier10 | Jay Weatherill |
| term_start10 | 21 January 2013 |
| term_end10 | 26 March 2014 |
| predecessor10 | Pat Conlon |
| successor10 | John Rau |
| office11 | Minister for Industry & Trade |
| premier11 | Mike Rann |
| Jay Weatherill | |
| term_start11 | 25 March 2010 |
| term_end11 | 21 January 2013 |
| predecessor11 | Rory McEwen |
| successor11 | Tom Kenyon |
| office12 | Minister of Correctional Services |
| premier12 | Mike Rann |
| term_start12 | 3 March 2009 |
| term_end12 | 21 October 2011 |
| predecessor12 | Carmel Zollo |
| successor12 | Jennifer Rankine |
| office13 | Minister for Gambling |
| premier13 | Mike Rann |
| term_start13 | 3 March 2009 |
| term_end13 | 8 February 2011 |
| predecessor13 | Carmel Zollo |
| successor13 | position abolished |
| office14 | Minister for Youth & Volunteers |
| premier14 | Mike Rann |
| term_start14 | 3 March 2009 |
| term_end14 | 25 March 2010 |
| predecessor14 | Paul Caica (Youth) |
| Jennifer Rankine (Volunteers) | |
| successor14 | Ian Hunter |
| office15 | Minister for Road Safety |
| term_start15 | 3 March 2009 |
| term_end15 | 20 April 2009 |
| predecessor15 | Carmel Zollo |
| successor15 | Michael O'Brien |
| constituency_MP16 | West Torrens |
| Peake (1997–2002) | |
| parliament16 | South Australian |
| term_start16 | 11 October 1997 |
| predecessor16 | Heini Becker |
| birthname | Anastasios Koutsantonis |
| party | Australian Labor Party (SA) |
| spouse | |
| birth_date | |
| birth_place | Woodville, South Australia |
| blank1 | Religion |
| data1 | Greek Orthodox |
| website | |
| :: |
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable | name = Tom Koutsantonis | honorific-suffix = MP | image = Tom Koutsantonis.jpg | office = Treasurer of South Australia | term_start = 19 September 2025 | term_end = | premier = Peter Malinauskas | predecessor = Stephen Mullighan | successor = | term_start1 = 26 March 2014 | term_end1 = 19 March 2018 | premier1 = Jay Weatherill | predecessor1 = Jay Weatherill | successor1 = Rob Lucas | office2 = Minister for Energy and Mining | term_start2 = 24 March 2022 | term_end2 = | premier2 = Peter Malinauskas | predecessor2 = Dan van Holst Pellekaan | successor2 = | term_start3 = 8 February 2011 | term_end3 = 19 March 2018 as Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy | premier3 = Jay Weatherill | predecessor3 = Paul Holloway | successor3 = Dan van Holst Pellekaan | office4 = Minister for Infrastructure and Transport | term_start4 = 24 March 2022 | term_end4 = 19 September 2025 | premier4 = Peter Malinauskas | predecessor4 = Corey Wingard | successor4 = Emily Bourke | term_start5 = 21 January 2013 | term_end5 = 26 March 2014 | premier5 = Jay Weatherill | predecessor5 = Pat Conlon | successor5 = Stephen Mullighan | office6 = Father of the Parliament of South Australia | term_start6 = 19 March 2022 | term_end6 = | predecessor6 = Rob Lucas | successor6 = | office7 = Minister for Automotive Transformation | premier7 = Jay Weatherill | term_start7 = 26 March 2014 | term_end7 = 27 May 2014 | predecessor7 = office established | successor7 = Susan Close | office8 = Minister for Small Business | premier8 = Jay Weatherill | term_start8 = 26 March 2014 | term_end8 = 19 January 2016 | predecessor8 = Tom Kenyon | successor8 = Martin Hamilton-Smith | premier9 = Mike Rann Jay Weatherill | term_start9 = 25 March 2010 | term_end9 = 21 January 2013 | predecessor9 = Russell Wortley | successor9 = Tom Kenyon | office10 = Minister for Housing & Urban Development | premier10 = Jay Weatherill | term_start10 = 21 January 2013 | term_end10 = 26 March 2014 | predecessor10 = Pat Conlon | successor10 = John Rau | office11 = Minister for Industry & Trade | premier11 = Mike Rann Jay Weatherill | term_start11 = 25 March 2010 | term_end11 = 21 January 2013 | predecessor11 = Rory McEwen | successor11 = Tom Kenyon | office12 = Minister of Correctional Services | premier12 = Mike Rann | term_start12 = 3 March 2009 | term_end12 = 21 October 2011 | predecessor12 = Carmel Zollo | successor12 = Jennifer Rankine | office13 = Minister for Gambling | premier13 = Mike Rann | term_start13 = 3 March 2009 | term_end13 = 8 February 2011 | predecessor13 = Carmel Zollo | successor13 = position abolished | office14 = Minister for Youth & Volunteers | premier14 = Mike Rann | term_start14 = 3 March 2009 | term_end14 = 25 March 2010 | predecessor14 = Paul Caica (Youth) Jennifer Rankine (Volunteers) | successor14 = Ian Hunter | office15 = Minister for Road Safety | term_start15 = 3 March 2009 | term_end15 = 20 April 2009 | predecessor15 = Carmel Zollo | successor15 = Michael O'Brien | constituency_MP16 = West Torrens Peake (1997–2002) | parliament16 = South Australian | term_start16 = 11 October 1997 | term_end16 = | predecessor16 = Heini Becker | birthname = Anastasios Koutsantonis | nationality = | party = Australian Labor Party (SA) | spouse = | birth_date = | birth_place = Woodville, South Australia | blank1 = Religion | data1 = Greek Orthodox | website = Anastasios "Tom" Koutsantonis (born 23 August 1971) is an Australian politician in the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party, representing the seats of West Torrens (2002−current) and Peake (1997−2002) as a Labor member in the South Australian House of Assembly. he is Treasurer of South Australia and Minister for Energy and Mining in the Malinauskas ministry.
Koutsantonis served as Treasurer and minister for other portfolios in the Weatherill cabinet between 2011 and 2018. From March 2022, Koutsantonis served as the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and the Minister for Energy and Mining in the Malinauskas ministry. On 19 September 2025, in a Cabinet reshuffle owing to the resignation of two front benchers, he was once again appointed Treasurer. He retains the portfolio of energy and mining, but lost the infrastructure and transport portfolio.
Early life and education
Anastasios Koutsantonis was born on 23 August 1971 in Adelaide to Greek-Australian parents.
He attended Cowandilla and Netley Primary School and Adelaide High School,before going on to study at the University of Adelaide.
Koutsantonis was encouraged and inspired to get involved in politics by former premier Jack Wright, and first volunteered in Wright’s office when he was 14.
Early career
Koutsantonis became an industrial officer for the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association in the 1990s.
Parliament
Koutsantonis was elected to the seat of Peake (now West Torrens) at the 1997 election on a margin of 4.5 points, aged 26. He was elected by 8.6 points at the 2002 election, and by 18.3 points at the 2006 election, after which Koutsantonis was elevated to the chairmanship of the economic and advisory committee.
On 3 March 2009, and remained in Cabinet until the 2018 state election. Koutsantonis was forced to apologise for his "unacceptable" driving record which listed 58 traffic offences and over $10,000 in fines. He subsequently resigned the road safety portfolio.
Following the retirement of Liberal's Rob Lucas at the 2022 state election, Koutsantonis became the longest-serving member of the South Australian Parliament. His long-serving parliamentary service was recognised by Labor leader Peter Malinauskas in his victory speech on election night. After the election, Malinauskas appointed Koutsantonis as Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Minister for Energy and Mining.
On 19 September 2025, in a Cabinet reshuffle following announcements by Susan Close and Stephen Mullighan of their resignations at the next state election, Koutsantonis was once again appointed Treasurer. He retains the portfolio of energy and mining, but the infrastructure and transport portfolio was passed to Emily Bourke.
Politics
Koutsantonis is considered conservative within Labor politics, and convenes the Labor-right faction of the party.
In February 2010, Koutsantonis sent a letter to his constituents about "vile behaviour" seen at Apex Park on Burbridge Road, West Beach, which was being used as a gay beat. He said that constitutuents should report lewd acts to police. South Australia Police were aware of attacks apparently targeting gay men at the park. Koutsantonis was accused of inciting hatred against homosexuals in by Sydney gay-rights activist Gary Burns, who lodged a complaint to the South Australian Equal Opportunity Commission. The complaint was rejected because Koutsantonis had not breached the Equal Opportunity Act. He rejected claims that he was homophobic, saying that he had supported gay rights in parliament. He said: "This is not about sexuality. It is about stamping out an illegal activity and preventing children from being exposed to lewd acts and health risks." During a debate on same-sex marriage in South Australian parliament in 2012, Koutsantonis outlined his "very dear" belief that marriage is between a man and a woman, but that he supported civil unions and legal rights of gay couples.
In 2021 he was one of three Labor MPs to vote against a Euthanasia Bill because of his conviction to sanctity of life, despite acknowledging that as much as 85% of his constituents supported it. He was one of four lower house parliamentarians to vote against the decriminalisation of abortion in 2021, alongside Labor MP Stephen Mullighan and Liberal MP's Stephen Knoll and David Speirs.
Personal life
Koutsantonis married Anthea in February 2009, and they have two daughters.
References
References
- (20 June 2017). "The Treasurer is about to deliver a state budget - but is this the man who delivered him?". ABC Adelaide.
- (21 May 2025). "Hon. Tom Koutsantonis".
- Mayne, Stephen. (25 January 2006). "Tracking the unionists in parliament". [[Crikey]].
- (3 March 2009). "Caica gets agriculture in SA reshuffle". [[ABC News (Australia).
- (20 April 2009). "Road Safety Minister quits over traffic offences". [[ABC News (Australia).
- (19 March 2022). "VIDEO: Peter Malinauskas pays tribute to emotional Tom Koutsantonis". ABC News.
- {{Cite SA-parl
- (19 September 2025). "Tom Koutsantonis appointed SA Treasurer after Stephen Mullighan and Susan Close step down".
- (2003-10-31). "SA Labor elects Koutsantonis as president". ABC News.
- Deighton, Matt. (June 24, 2022). "Kouts: The inside story of his rise, fall … and rise again".
- Harper, Angela. (2010-04-12). "MP's letter fuels gay-hate: activist".
- Wills, Daniel. (April 12, 2010). "Tom Koutsantonis accused of inciting hatred against gays in letter".
- Koutsantonis, Tom. (May 31, 2012). "Same-Sex Marriage".
- Wills, Daniel. (May 18, 2011). "Minister Tom Koutsantonis opposes euthanasia Bill".
- (2021-02-18). "Abortion law reform 'giving women choice' passes Lower House in SA". ABC News.
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