bˈɑːɹwɛlz dᵻsˈaɪsɪvnəs wʌz ˈɛvɪdənt dˈʊɹɹɪŋ hɪz pɹəmˈɪɹʃɪp wɛn hiː ɐdɹˈɛst ðə stˈeɪt ʌvðə sˈaʊθ ɔːstɹˈeɪliən ɹˈeɪlweɪz, wˌɪtʃ baɪ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti tˈuː hæd dᵻkˈeɪd tə ðə pˈɔɪnt ʌv ˈɪmɪnənt tˈoʊɾəl kəlˈæps, ɛndˈeɪndʒɚɹɪŋ stˈeɪt faɪnˈænsᵻz.
Barwell's decisiveness was evident during his premiership when he addressed the state of the South Australian Railways, which by 1922 had decayed to the point of imminent total collapse, endangering state finances.