High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Sir Thomas Playford, GCMG (5 July 1896 – 16 June 1981) was a South Australian politician. He served continuously as Premier of South Australia from 5 November 1938 to 10 March 1965, the longest term of any elected government leader in the history of Australia. His tenure as premier was marked by a period of population and economic growth unmatched by any other Australian state. Playford took a unique, strong and direct approach to the premiership and personally oversaw his industrial initiatives. He was known for his parochial style in pushing South Australia`s interests, and was known for his ability to secure a disproportionate share of federal funding for the state as well as his shameless haranguing of federal leaders. His string of election wins were assisted by a system of electoral malapportionment that bore his name, the `Playmander`.