# Commissioner of Public Works (South Australia)

The Commissioner of Public Works was a member of Cabinet of the Government of South Australia.
Originally created for the Finniss Ministry on 24 October 1856, there were 63 holders of the public works portfolio. It was known as Commissioner for Public Works for most of its existence, however since the Playford Government in the 1960s, it was known as Minister for Works or Public Works.
The longest holder was Malcolm McIntosh, a member of the Liberal Federation/Liberal and Country League and a minister in the Butler and Playford governments, who held the portfolio on two separate occasions for a total of 23 years and 45 days. The last holder was Kym Mayes, a member of the Labor Party and a minister in Lynn Arnold's government. The title was abolished on 1 October 1992 (1992-10-01) and superseded by portfolio's for Infrastructure and Transport.

## List of Commissioner of Public Works of South Australia

| Order | Minister | Party | Party | Premier | Title | Term start | Term end | Term in office |
| 1 | Arthur Freeling | | No Party | Finniss | Commissioner of Public Works | 24 October 1856 (1856-10-24) | 20 March 1857 (1857-03-20) | 147 days |
| 2 | Samuel Davenport | | No Party | Finniss | Commissioner of Public Works | 20 March 1857 (1857-03-20) | 21 August 1857 (1857-08-21) | 154 days |
| 3 | Arthur Blyth | | No Party | Baker | Commissioner of Public Works | 21 August 1857 (1857-08-21) | 1 September 1857 (1857-09-01) | 11 days |
| n/a | Samuel Davenport | | No Party | Torrens | Commissioner of Public Works | 1 September 1857 (1857-09-01) | 30 September 1857 (1857-09-30) | 29 days |
| 4 | Thomas Reynolds | | No Party | Hanson | Commissioner of Public Works | 30 September 1857 (1857-09-30) | 12 June 1858 (1858-06-12) | 255 days |
| n/a | Arthur Blyth | | No Party | Hanson | Commissioner of Public Works | 12 June 1858 (1858-06-12) | 9 May 1860 (1860-05-09) | 1 year, 332 days |
| 5 | Alexander Hay | | No Party | Reynolds | Commissioner of Public Works | 9 May 1860 (1860-05-09) | 8 October 1861 (1861-10-08) | 1 year, 152 days |
| 6 | Philip Santo | | No Party | Waterhouse | Commissioner of Public Works | 8 October 1861 (1861-10-08) | 17 October 1861 (1861-10-17) | 9 days |
| 7 | John Lindsay | | No Party | Waterhouse | Commissioner of Public Works | 17 October 1861 (1861-10-17) | 19 February 1862 (1862-02-19) | 125 days |
| 8 | William Milne | | No Party | Waterhouse | Commissioner of Public Works | 19 February 1862 (1862-02-19) | 4 July 1863 (1863-07-04) | 1 year, 135 days |
| 9 | William Townsend | | No Party | Dutton | Commissioner of Public Works | 4 July 1863 (1863-07-04) | 15 July 1863 (1863-07-15) | 11 days |
| n/a | Philip Santo | | No Party | Ayers | Commissioner of Public Works | 15 July 1863 (1863-07-15) | 4 August 1864 (1864-08-04) | 1 year, 20 days |
| n/a | William Milne | | No Party | Blyth | Commissioner of Public Works | 4 August 1864 (1864-08-04) | 22 March 1865 (1865-03-22) | 230 days |
| 10 | Francis Dutton | | No Party | Dutton | Commissioner of Public Works | 22 March 1865 (1865-03-22) | 20 September 1865 (1865-09-20) | 182 days |
| n/a | Philip Santo | | No Party | Ayers | Commissioner of Public Works | 20 September 1865 (1865-09-20) | 23 October 1865 (1865-10-23) | 33 days |
| 11 | Thomas English | | No Party | Hart | Commissioner of Public Works | 23 October 1865 (1865-10-23) | 28 March 1866 (1866-03-28) | 1 year, 192 days |
| 11 | Thomas English | | No Party | Boucaut | Commissioner of Public Works | 28 March 1866 (1866-03-28) | 3 May 1867 (1867-05-03) | 1 year, 192 days |
| n/a | Philip Santo | | No Party | Ayers | Commissioner of Public Works | 3 May 1867 (1867-05-03) | 24 September 1868 (1868-09-24) | 1 year, 144 days |
| 12 | William Everard | | No Party | Hart | Commissioner of Public Works | 24 September 1868 (1868-09-24) | 12 October 1868 (1868-10-12) | 18 days |
| n/a | Philip Santo | | No Party | Ayers | Commissioner of Public Works | 13 October 1868 (1868-10-13) | 3 November 1868 (1868-11-03) | 21 days |
| 13 | John Colton | | No Party | Strangways | Commissioner of Public Works | 3 November 1868 (1868-11-03) | 12 May 1870 (1870-05-12) | 1 year, 190 days |
| 14 | Friedrich Krichauff | | No Party | Strangways | Commissioner of Public Works | 12 May 1870 (1870-05-12) | 30 May 1870 (1870-05-30) | 18 days |
| 15 | John Carr | | No Party | Hart | Commissioner of Public Works | 30 May 1870 (1870-05-30) | 10 November 1871 (1871-11-10) | 1 year, 237 days |
| 15 | John Carr | | No Party | Blyth | Commissioner of Public Works | 10 November 1871 (1871-11-10) | 22 January 1872 (1872-01-22) | 1 year, 237 days |
| 16 | James Ramsay | | No Party | Ayers | Commissioner of Public Works | 22 January 1872 (1872-01-22) | 4 March 1872 (1872-03-04) | 42 days |
| 17 | Wentworth Cavenagh | | No Party | Ayers | Commissioner of Public Works | 4 March 1872 (1872-03-04) | 22 July 1873 (1873-07-22) | 1 year, 140 days |
| 18 | Henry Bright | | No Party | Blyth | Commissioner of Public Works | 22 July 1873 (1873-07-22) | 3 June 1875 (1875-06-03) | 1 year, 316 days |
| 19 | William West-Erskine | | No Party | Boucaut | Commissioner of Public Works | 3 June 1875 (1875-06-03) | 2 February 1876 (1876-02-02) | 244 days |
| 20 | James Boucaut | | No Party | Boucaut | Commissioner of Public Works | 2 February 1876 (1876-02-02) | 6 June 1876 (1876-06-06) | 125 days |
| 21 | John Colton | | No Party | Colton | Commissioner of Public Works | 6 June 1876 (1876-06-06) | 26 October 1877 (1877-10-26) | 1 year, 142 days |
| 22 | George Hawker | | No Party | Boucaut | Commissioner of Public Works | 26 October 1877 (1877-10-26) | 27 September 1878 (1878-09-27) | 3 years, 241 days |
| 22 | George Hawker | | No Party | Morgan | Commissioner of Public Works | 27 September 1878 (1878-09-27) | 24 June 1881 (1881-06-24) | 3 years, 241 days |
| n/a | James Ramsay | | No Party | Bray | Commissioner of Public Works | 24 June 1881 (1881-06-24) | 23 April 1884 (1884-04-23) | 2 years, 304 days |
| 23 | David Bower | | No Party | Bray | Commissioner of Public Works | 23 April 1884 (1884-04-23) | 16 June 1884 (1884-06-16) | 54 days |
| 24 | Thomas Playford II | | No Party | Colton | Commissioner of Public Works | 16 June 1884 (1884-06-16) | 4 February 1885 (1885-02-04) | 233 days |
| 25 | Jenkin Coles | | No Party | Colton | Commissioner of Public Works | 4 February 1885 (1885-02-04) | 16 June 1885 (1885-06-16) | 132 days |
| 26 | John Darling | | No Party | Downer | Commissioner of Public Works | 16 June 1885 (1885-06-16) | 14 October 1885 (1885-10-14) | 120 days |
| 27 | John Spence | | No Party | Downer | Commissioner of Public Works | 14 October 1885 (1885-10-14) | 8 June 1886 (1886-06-08) | 237 days |
| 28 | Luke Furner | | No Party | Downer | Commissioner of Public Works | 8 June 1886 (1886-06-08) | 11 June 1887 (1887-06-11) | 1 year, 3 days |
| 29 | Alfred Catt | | No Party | Playford II | Commissioner of Public Works | 11 June 1887 (1887-06-11) | 27 June 1889 (1889-06-27) | 2 years, 16 days |
| 30 | James Howe | | No Party | Cockburn | Commissioner of Public Works | 27 June 1889 (1889-06-27) | 2 May 1890 (1890-05-02) | 309 days |
| 31 | Thomas Burgoyne | | No Party | Cockburn | Commissioner of Public Works | 2 May 1890 (1890-05-02) | 19 August 1890 (1890-08-19) | 109 days |
| 32 | William Rounsevell | | No Party | Playford II | Commissioner of Public Works | 19 August 1890 (1890-08-19) | 6 January 1892 (1892-01-06) | 1 year, 140 days |
| 33 | John Jenkins | | No Party | Playford II | Commissioner of Public Works | 6 January 1892 (1892-01-06) | 21 June 1892 (1892-06-21) | 167 days |
| 34 | Andrew Handyside | | No Party | Holder | Commissioner of Public Works | 21 June 1892 (1892-06-21) | 15 October 1892 (1892-10-15) | 116 days |
| 35 | Lawrence Grayson | | No Party | Downer | Commissioner of Public Works | 15 October 1892 (1892-10-15) | 12 May 1893 (1893-05-12) | 209 days |
| No Holder | No Holder | No Holder | No Holder | Downer | Commissioner of Public Works | 12 May 1893 (1893-05-12) | 16 June 1893 (1893-06-16) | 35 days |
| 36 | Frederick Holder | | Liberalism | Kingston | Commissioner of Public Works | 16 June 1893 (1893-06-16) | 17 April 1894 (1894-04-17) | 305 days |
| 37 | John Jenkins | | Liberalism | Kingston | Commissioner of Public Works | 17 April 1894 (1894-04-17) | 1 December 1899 (1899-12-01) | 5 years, 228 days |
| n/a | Andrew Handyside | | No Party | Solomon | Commissioner of Public Works | 1 December 1899 (1899-12-01) | 8 December 1899 (1899-12-08) | 7 days |
| 38 | Richard Foster | | No Party | Holder | Commissioner of Public Works | 8 December 1899 (1899-12-08) | 15 May 1901 (1901-05-15) | 4 years, 209 days |
| 38 | Richard Foster | | No Party | Jenkins | Commissioner of Public Works | 15 May 1901 (1901-05-15) | 4 July 1904 (1904-07-04) | 4 years, 209 days |
| No Holder | No Holder | No Holder | No Holder | Jenkins | Commissioner of Public Works | 4 July 1904 (1904-07-04) | 1 March 1905 (1905-03-01) | 240 days |
| n/a | Richard Foster | | No Party | Butler | Commissioner of Public Works | 1 March 1905 (1905-03-01) | 26 July 1905 (1905-07-26) | 147 days |
| 39 | Thomas Price | | Labor | Price | Commissioner of Public Works | 26 July 1905 (1905-07-26) | 5 June 1909 (1909-06-05) | 3 years, 314 days |
| 40 | Laurence O'Loughlin | | Farmers & Producers Union | Peake | Commissioner of Public Works | 5 June 1909 (1909-06-05) | 3 June 1910 (1910-06-03) | 363 days |
| 41 | John Verran | | Labor | Verran | Commissioner of Public Works | 3 June 1910 (1910-06-03) | 17 February 1912 (1912-02-17) | 1 year, 259 days |
| 42 | Richard Butler | | Liberal Union | Peake | Commissioner of Public Works | 17 February 1912 (1912-02-17) | 19 November 1914 (1914-11-19) | 2 years, 275 days |
| 43 | George Ritchie | | Liberal Union | Peake | Commissioner of Public Works | 19 November 1914 (1914-11-19) | 3 April 1915 (1915-04-03) | 135 days |
| 44 | Harry Jackson | | Labor | Vaughan | Commissioner of Public Works | 3 April 1915 (1915-04-03) | 14 July 1917 (1917-07-14) | 2 years, 102 days |
| 45 | John Bice | | Liberal Union | Peake | Commissioner of Public Works | 14 July 1917 (1917-07-14) | 15 May 1919 (1919-05-15) | 1 year, 305 days |
| 46 | George Ritchie | | Liberal Union | Peake | Commissioner of Public Works | 15 May 1919 (1919-05-15) | 8 April 1920 (1920-04-08) | 329 days |
| 47 | William Hague | | Liberal Union | Barwell | Commissioner of Public Works | 8 April 1920 (1920-04-08) | 3 November 1922 (1922-11-03) | 2 years, 209 days |
| 48 | Thomas Pascoe | | Liberal Union | Barwell | Commissioner of Public Works | 3 November 1922 (1922-11-03) | 16 October 1923 (1923-10-16) | 1 year, 11 days |
| 48 | Thomas Pascoe | | Liberal Federation | Barwell | Commissioner of Public Works | 16 October 1923 (1923-10-16) | 14 November 1923 (1923-11-14) | 1 year, 11 days |
| 49 | George Jenkins | | Liberal Federation | Barwell | Commissioner of Public Works | 14 November 1923 (1923-11-14) | 16 April 1924 (1924-04-16) | 154 days |
| 50 | Lionel Hill | | Labor | Gunn | Commissioner of Public Works | 16 April 1924 (1924-04-16) | 28 August 1926 (1926-08-28) | 2 years, 134 days |
| 51 | John McInnes | | Labor | Hill | Commissioner of Public Works | 28 August 1926 (1926-08-28) | 8 April 1927 (1927-04-08) | 223 days |
| 52 | Malcolm McIntosh | | Liberal Federation | Butler | Commissioner of Public Works | 8 April 1927 (1927-04-08) | 17 April 1930 (1930-04-17) | 3 years, 9 days |
| n/a | John McInnes | | Labor | Hill | Commissioner of Public Works | 17 April 1930 (1930-04-17) | 13 February 1933 (1933-02-13) | 3 years, 1 day |
| n/a | John McInnes | | Labor | Richards | Commissioner of Public Works | 13 February 1933 (1933-02-13) | 18 April 1933 (1933-04-18) | 64 days |
| 53 | Herbert Hudd | | Liberal & Country League | Butler | Commissioner of Public Works | 18 April 1933 (1933-04-18) | 8 April 1938 (1938-04-08) | 4 years, 355 days |
| n/a | Malcolm McIntosh | | Liberal & Country League | Playford | Commissioner of Public Works | 8 April 1938 (1938-04-08) | 14 December 1944 (1944-12-14) | 20 years, 36 days |
| n/a | Malcolm McIntosh | | Liberal & Country League | Playford | Minister for Works | 14 December 1944 (1944-12-14) | 14 May 1958 (1958-05-14) | 20 years, 36 days |
| 54 | Colin Rowe | | Liberal & Country League | Playford | Minister for Works | 14 May 1958 (1958-05-14) | 25 June 1958 (1958-06-25) | 42 days |
| 55 | Glen Pearson | | Liberal & Country League | Playford | Minister for Works | 25 June 1958 (1958-06-25) | 10 March 1965 (1965-03-10) | 6 years, 258 days |
| 56 | Cyril Hutchens | | Labor | Walsh | Minister for Works | 10 March 1965 (1965-03-10) | 1 June 1967 (1967-06-01) | 3 years, 38 days |
| 56 | Cyril Hutchens | | Labor | Dunstan | Minister for Works | 1 June 1967 (1967-06-01) | 17 April 1968 (1968-04-17) | 3 years, 38 days |
| 57 | John Coumbe | | Liberal & Country League | Hall | Minister for Works | 17 April 1968 (1968-04-17) | 2 March 1970 (1970-03-02) | 1 year, 319 days |
| 58 | Allan Rodda | | Liberal & Country League | Hall | Minister for Works | 2 March 1970 (1970-03-02) | 2 June 1970 (1970-06-02) | 92 days |
| 59 | Des Corcoran | | Labor | Dunstan | Minister for Works | 2 June 1970 (1970-06-02) | 15 February 1979 (1979-02-15) | 8 years, 286 days |
| 59 | Des Corcoran | | Labor | Corcoran | Minister for Works | 15 February 1979 (1979-02-15) | 15 March 1979 (1979-03-15) | 8 years, 286 days |
| 60 | John Wright | | Labor | Corcoran | Minister for Public Works | 15 March 1979 (1979-03-15) | 18 September 1979 (1979-09-18) | 187 days |
| 61 | Dean Brown | | Liberal | Tonkin | Minister for Public Works | 18 September 1979 (1979-09-18) | 10 November 1982 (1982-11-10) | 3 years, 53 days |
| n/a | John Wright | | Labor | Bannon | Minister for Public Works | 10 November 1982 (1982-11-10) | 19 February 1984 (1984-02-19) | 1 year, 101 days |
| 62 | Terry Hemmings | | Labor | Bannon | Minister for Public Works | 19 February 1984 (1984-02-19) | 14 December 1989 (1989-12-14) | 5 years, 298 days |
| 63 | Kym Mayes | | Labor | Bannon | Minister for Public Works | 14 December 1989 (1989-12-14) | 4 September 1992 (1992-09-04) | 2 years, 292 days |
| 63 | Kym Mayes | | Labor | Arnold | Minister for Public Works | 4 September 1992 (1992-09-04) | 1 October 1992 (1992-10-01) | 2 years, 292 days |