South Australia's Police Commissioner, Grant Stevens, will be the state's next governor, Premier Peter Malinauskas announced in Adelaide on Tuesday. Stevens, 62, will be sworn in as the 37th Governor of South Australia on 9 December for a five-year term.
He replaces Frances Adamson, the former head of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, whose five-year term ended on Tuesday. Adamson declined an offer to stay on and was farewelled from Government House the same afternoon.
The appointment was made by King Charles III on the Premier's recommendation. "It is the sovereign's appointment," Malinauskas said. "I'm very grateful that His Majesty King Charles has decided to appoint Grant." In practice the choice belongs to the Premier. The South Australian public and parliament have no formal role, and the term can be extended by agreement between the Governor and the Premier.
Stevens joined SA Police in 1982 and has been commissioner since 2015. During the COVID-19 pandemic he was the state coordinator, the official responsible for South Australia's border closures and restrictions. He said he was approached in early to mid September and still had one year and nine months left on his commissioner contract.
“Serving the people of South Australia as a police officer has been the privilege of my working life," Stevens said. "As Governor, I will bring that same commitment to service, together with a deep respect for the constitutional responsibilities and impartiality of the office.”
The appointment comes four months after the Police Association of SA passed a vote of no confidence in Stevens and his deputy. Stevens said on Tuesday he had been "overwhelmed by the messages of support" he received from inside the force and the community at the time.
He leaves the commissioner's job on 23 October. Deputy Commissioner Linda Williams will be acting commissioner. Malinauskas said there would be a global search for a permanent replacement but gave no timeline. Stevens will also step down from the Adelaide Football Club board and as chair of the Operation Flinders Foundation.
Stevens will be sworn in at Government House on 9 December. The search for his replacement at SA Police, the post that answers to the state's elected government, has no set timeline.
