The Special Minister of State Dan Cregan has announced he will retire from politics for family reasons.
The Independent MP from the Kavel electorate in the Adelaide Hills has served in the Cabinet since April last year following several years as the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
Minister Cregan will attend his final cabinet meeting this afternoon.
As Special Minister of State, Minister Cregan oversaw complex negotiations to draft and deliver a world-first ban on political donations, which will take effect before the 2026 election.
The landmark legislation – which won significant community support including from major and minor parties, independents, democracy groups and other advocates — will deliver greater confidence in our democracy for generations to come.
Minister Cregan also delivered further significant democratic reform through a major overhaul of the state’s Electoral Act, including banning the use of unsolicited robocalls and prohibiting the use of Artificial Intelligence to generate deepfake electoral advertisements designed to mislead voters.
As Police Minister, Cregan was closely involved in reaching a landmark pay deal for South Australia Police to further boost the Government’s existing retention and recruitment initiatives.
As the Member for Kavel, Cregan has advocated for new infrastructure for the growing Hills community, delivering a new hospital, aquatic centre, sports hub, ambulance station, Service SA centre and major road and public transport infrastructure.
He was re-elected as an Independent MP in 2022 with more than 75 per cent of the two-candidate-preferred vote, making Kavel the safest seat in the state.
Cregan will support an independent candidate for Kavel in the lead up to the next state election and will continue to work on the significant local projects underway in the Hills.
Premier Peter Malinauskas says he is sad to lose him.
“Dan Cregan is an intelligent, thoughtful and determined Member of Parliament and these qualities have shone through since he was first elected to Parliament, and have been amply demonstrated during his time as Speaker and throughout his service in Cabinet,” Premier Malinauskas said.
“Hills residents know well the relentless advocacy Dan has delivered on their behalf. Dan will leave Cabinet with a legacy to be proud of.”
Dan Cregan said he is proud of his achievements.
“I am delighted we were able to see through a world-first ban on electoral donations and other vital democratic reforms,” Mr Cregan said.
“It has been my deep privilege to serve as Member for Kavel. As much as I love this role, pressing family matters make this the correct decision at this time. Most political careers are doomed to go on for longer than they should, and this is the right time for me.”
“I’ve been determined to fix underinvestment in the Hills and I came to see that the only way to do this was to play hardball.
“We now have a new hospital, aquatic centre, sports, hub, ambulance station, Service SA centre and major road and public transport upgrades either delivered or underway.”
He said he wanted to make his intentions clear now to ensure sufficient time for the next independent candidate in Kavel to run a full campaign.
