South Australian Labor MPs have shown themselves to be political survivors, with former sword-carriers for Julia Gillard rewarded by new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in his reshuffle this morning.

Senator Penny Wong, one of Gillard’s most loyal supporters until she switched camps last week, will retain her senior role, leading the Government in the Senate and retaining her finance portfolio.

Member for Port Adelaide Mark Butler, also a relatively recent convert to Rudd, is the biggest winner among the South Australian Labor contingent.

He has been promoted to the key portfolios of climate change, the environment and water.

Even Senator Don Farrell, the South Australian right faction powerbroker and one of the “faceless men” who brought down Rudd the first time around, has been retained in the ministry and, arguably, rewarded with the sport portfolio. He stayed true to Gillard in last week’s spill.

Kate Ellis, a trenchant Gillard supporter, has a slightly heftier role with youth added to her responsibilities for early childhood, childcare and employment participation.

Every South Australian player has won a prize.

More broadly, Rudd has attempted to counter sour perceptions of his axing of Australia’s first female Prime Minister by elevating a record number of women to his Cabinet and Ministry.

This is essentially a campaign Cabinet – they will have little time to make a substantial policy mark, although Butler will be under scrutiny straight away as Rudd attempts to fix the political problem of the carbon tax.

Rather than governing, this group will be shaping policy positions in preparation for the election campaign which, judging by Rudd’s rock-star turns on the weekend, has already begun in earnest.