Rob Lucas's first budget in 1998 was described by some as a "horror" one.
South Australia was still recovering from the State Bank collapse seven years earlier and the first-time Treasurer had the job of reviving the economy.
In order to do that, he increased fees and taxes and the cost of public transport and slashed public sector jobs and announced the closure of 30 public schools.
But it was his idea of selling the state-owned electricity provider, ETSA, which garnered the most outrage.
Ahead of today's state budget, Mr Lucas has been reflecting on just how different his first budget was from what will be his last.
"We've now got the state's largest-ever deficit this financial year at $1.8 billion — it's the biggest deficit in the state's history… and we'll still be in a deficit next year as a result of COVID."
But he makes the point that $1.8 billion is far less than the $2.59 billion deficit predicted last year, thanks largely to an increase in stamp duty revenue from rising house prices.
Record deficit 'inevitable reality'
The usually frugal Treasurer is not apologising, though, saying the big spend is a necessary evil.
"It's an inevitable reality of COVID–19, if we wanted to save as many lives as we could — the alternative was too awful to contemplate," he said.
As for how the always matter-of-fact Treasurer is feeling ahead of today's budget reveal: "Maybe this time next year when someone else is doing it, it might be nostalgic or emotional, but at the moment it's a job to be done just get on and do it.
"It's just part of the process having done it so many times before."
Not sentimental about legacy
Mr Lucas, 68, has announced he will retire at the 2022 election after almost 40 years in Parliament.
He was Treasurer from 1997 to 2002 and then again from 2018 until now.
He said he wanted his legacy to be guiding the state out of a pandemic.
"I'm not much worried about personal legacies; what I'd like people to see me as is part of a team," he said.
But he admitted he had not made time to be too sentimental.
"There's so much work to be done — you don't have time for reflection, emotion and nostalgia — you just get on with the job of trying to make the decisions as best as you can," he said.
"When you get to my age, you don't worry too much about those sorts of things."
