When Melbourne property developer Ron Walker and Victorian premier Jeff Kennett cut a deal in the mid-1990s to pinch the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix from South Australia, the smaller state was delivered a one-two psychological and economic blow.

But next year, South Australia claws some prestige back by poaching the Australian MotoGP from Victoria’s Phillip Island. Purloining a page from the Kennett playbook is one of several factors attracting developers from interstate, Stamford Capital director Adam Miller says.

“The Malinauskas government has played a big game on lifting the profile of the state, largely through major events, so there’s a lot more newsworthy stuff coming out of here,” the Adelaide-based finance broker says.