Premier Steven Marshall has demanded an explanation why an interstate company won a major advertising contract to promote South Australia, while ruling out overturning the decision.
The SA tourism commission awarded the contract, believed to be worth millions of dollars, to Melbourne-based company TBWA over a pool of 34 other applicants, including SA firms.
Speaking at the SA Press Club on Friday, Mr Marshall said the decision was a "huge disappointment" and he would meet with the commission on Monday morning.
"It's pretty difficult to understand why an agency, which is charged with the responsibility of promoting the state, has turned around and said the best people to promote our state is actually a Melbourne-based firm," he said.
"I don't understand that logic.
"I'm going to want a full explanation to why this has occurred because we've got amazing talent in this state."
Opposition tourism spokeswoman Zoe Bettison called the decision a "shocker" and said the premier should overturn it.
"We've heard a lot of talk from the Liberal Party about the 'brain drain' but they have failed their first test with this decision," she said.
"The Liberal Government needs to explain why it wants Victorians selling South Australia to the world."
The premier was quick to distance the government from the tourism commission's pick, but said he had no current intention to overturn the decision.
"There could be very good reasons, but I want to hear what they are and they better be pretty good," he said.
