About Tom

Tom has spent his entire life in Adelaide’s Western suburbs, attending Cowandilla and Netley primary schools before completing his secondary education at Adelaide High School.

After school, Tom studied at the University of Adelaide, driving a taxi and working as a shop assistant and business operator in his family’s small business to pay for his tuition.

Tom’s interest in politics began when, as a 14-year-old, he joined the Labor Party and started volunteering in the office of former Labor Deputy Premier Jack Wright. Tom went on to be elected Secretary of South Australian Young Labor and worked as a personal assistant to the Honourable Michael Atkinson MP, and as an Industrial Advocate for the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association.

Tom was elected to the South Australian State Parliament on 11 October 1997, at the age of 26, and has been re-elected at every state election since that time. He is the Member for West Torrens in Adelaide’s inner-Western suburbs.

Tom became a Minister in the Labor State Government in 2009 and remained in Cabinet until the 2018 State election. Over this period, he served as Minister for Corrections, Youth and Volunteers, Gambling, Small Business, Transport, Planning and Infrastructure, Mining and Energy, State Development and as Treasurer.

Tom delivered four State Budgets as Treasurer, instituting wide-spread tax cuts for small and medium businesses and helping transition South Australia’s economy following the closure of Holden.

Following the election of a Malinauskas Labor Government in March 2022, Tom was appointed Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, and Minister for Energy and Mining.

The son of Greek migrants, Tom is a passionate member of the community and is active in many local organisations and events. He and wife Anthea have two daughters, Tia, 11, and Helena, 8, and live in the electorate at Torrensville.