Transport Minister forced to take back seat at his own press conference

"Do you want to ask me?"That was the intervention from the South Australian Treasurer, just four minutes after journalists began questioning the under-fire Transport Minister Joe Szakacs over a mounting controversy.Mr Szakacs had not faced the press pack in more than a week, amid a series of damaging revelations over the state's biggest and most expensive road infrastructure project — the $15.4 billion Torrens to Darlington build.The rather convoluted "who knew what when and how could this have ever been allowed to happen" saga centres on an alleged attempt from an outlaw gang member to muscle in on a labour hire company that had won a contract on the project.Joe Szakacs fronted the media yesterday for the first time in more than a week. (ABC News: Che Chorley)By Tuesday afternoon, the story had made headlines for longer than than a fortnight (much to the chagrin of the tight-shipped Malinauskas Government), yet it showed no signs of slowing down, thanks to news breaking overnight that the labour hire company's contract had been terminated.It is pertinent to note the somewhat awkward interaction between Mr Szakacs and Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis at the press conference was not spurred by reporters.On the contrary, it appeared to be a veiled intervention on Mr Koutsantonis's behalf.In the lead-up to it, Mr Szakacs was asked by an ABC journalist what prompted the termination of the contract.The minister replied saying the labour hire firm had been "directed off site" for failing to advise the Torrens to Darlington Alliance of civil litigation "where one alleged shareholder was suing another alleged party who was a known bikie"."I just want to be clear on this though, because I think …" the ABC journalist started to say, before Mr Koutsantonis quickly interjected from behind, before making his way to the microphones.From the outset, Mr Szakacs, as both transport and infrastructure minister, was the most qualified person in the room to respond to the journalist's line of questioning.Yet the fact his veteran colleague — the so-called "Labor Lion" and former infrastructure and transport minister — felt it necessary to take over the prickly task is a telling sign of the trouble the Malinauskas Government currently finds itself in.Tom Koutsantonis says Joe Szakacs is an "exceptional minister with a bright future" in Tuesday's media conference. (ABC News: Che Chorley)Scandal is not a word to which the Malinauskas-led Labor team is accustomed.In fact, not since the lead-up to the March election, when the party found itself having to defend a questionable decision to release a patient's private email to "background journalists", has it copped such sustained political heat.Day after day of negative headlines and mounting pressure on a key minister is foreign territory for a government which has spent the past four-and-a-half years with an iron-like grip on South Australian politics.Mr Szakacs is by no means a "junior" minister (he held various ministerial portfolios throughout the previous term), but being handed the weighty responsibility of overseeing transport and infrastructure at such a critical juncture in the Torrens to Darlington build was always going to be a step up.Whether it is a step he has been able to make is now an open question — with the premier and his senior lieutenants being grilled on multiple occasions in the past fortnight about whether it's time for Mr Szakacs to fall on his sword, over a scandal that is not going away.That question was one Mr Szakacs faced when he eventually made his way back to the journalists' microphones at Tuesday's press conference, where he was pressed on whether his role was tenable.The Malinauskas government has been grilled multiple times in the past fortnight over the major road upgrade project. (ABC News: Che Chorley)"My job is to continue delivering this nation-building, state-building project," he replied, as Mr Koutsantonis nodded behind him."My job is to deliver it on time and on budget."My job is to ensure there are 5,500 South Australians who are working today because of this project."That is my sole focus and I am extremely dedicated and will remain so".That may be the case.But in the party room, Mr Szakacs has a much more nuanced job — to protect the government, and in particular Premier Peter Malinauskas, from scandal.And whether he is currently achieving that is very much up for debate.