South Australia's reshuffled ministry has the skills and the drive to win Labor a fifth term in office at the next state election, Premier Jay Weatherill says.
First-term MP Peter Malinauskas has been handed the key health portfolio and also takes on mental health while Chris Picton and Katrine Hildyard have been brought into cabinet in the changes confirmed on Monday.
They were forced by the resignations of former health minister Jack Snelling, who will also quit politics at the March poll, and mental health minister Leesa Vlahos, who is heading to the backbench.
"We have the skills, the energy and the drive to actually meet the challenges of South Australia," Mr Weatherill told reporters after his new cabinet colleagues were sworn in.
"People will see a strong team, a team with unity of purpose, a team that has demonstrated its ability to work hard and have the energy to work hard in the future."
But Opposition Leader Steven Marshall said rather than the ministry being refreshed, the changes were more like "rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic".
"Nothing is going to change with this dysfunctional, tired, 15-year-old government," he said.
Seen as a rising star in Labor ranks, Mr Malinauskas moves from police and correctional services after giving up his union career to enter the parliament through a casual vacancy in 2015.
Mr Picton will take on his former roles while Ms Hildyard will preside over disabilities and will also be the assistant sports minister.
"It is an incredibly significant challenge but that's what makes it an extraordinary privilege," Mr Malinauskas said of his promotion.
"We're in the business of helping people and those people who are suffering ill health need to be assured that we're doing everything we can to continually improve the health system."
Mr Picton said he hoped to give his new job a "red hot go".
"I look forward to working with our fantastic police and our fantastic firefighters and all the people in our emergency services sector," he said.
Ms Hildyard said she was "deeply passionate" about making sure that every South Australian is included in every aspect of community life.
"I can't wait to work with people with disabilities, their families and their carers to make sure they are included in community life and in our economy," she said.
In other changes to cabinet, Defence Industries Minister Martin Hamilton-Smith will add a new space portfolio to his list of responsibilities and Mr Weatherill has taken on arts, left vacant by Mr Snelling's departure.
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