Tom Koutsantonis
Anastasios "Tom" Koutsantonis is an Australian politician in the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party, representing the seats of West Torrens and Peake 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 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, he was appointed to cabinet, and remained in Cabinet until the 2018 state election. Koutsantonis has served in a range of ministerial portfolios, with responsibility for finance, state development, mineral resources and energy, small business, ministerial resources and energy, and for road safety. 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.