The Malinauskas Government is investing $588.4 million in measures to support South Australia’s regions.
This includes $142.8 million over three years to deliver the government’s flood relief package, which is in addition to the $51.6 million announced in the Mid-Year Budget Review.
The $194 million package includes:
*Emergency accommodation assistance
*Re-establishment grants for householders
*Small business and primary producer recovery grants
*Road repair
*Tax relief
*Clean up and waste program.
The Budget also provides $1.3 million over four years to establish a strategic flood barrier reserve, such as DefenCell along with $4.2 million in 2023-24 for rebates to eligible primary producers and horticulture farmers impacted by drought or natural disasters.
Health
The 2023-24 State Budget includes an additional $132.9 million for health in the regions, including an additional $100.8 million over two years to support the delivery of the new Mount Barker Hospital.
$31.1 million over three years for the deployment of the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system across all regional Local Health Network hospitals will ensure the state’s clinical and medical record system is consistent across the entire state.
$20 million over three years in additional funding for ambulance stations, includes completing rebuilds of existing stations at Mount Barker, Gawler and Victor Harbor. A further $1 million will be spent on a planning study for the delivery of health services in Naracoorte.
Housing
The Labor Malinauskas Government is abolishing stamp duty for eligible first home buyers that purchase a new home valued up to $650,000 or buying vacant land valued up to $400,000 to build a new first home. Part of a $474.7 million, this package will boost the First Home Owner Grant property value cap from $575,000 to $650,000, and includes the delivery of 564 new SA Housing Authority homes across the state.
The budget supports the government’s plan for A Better Housing Future which aims to address supply issues across the state. Initiatives include:
*Establishing a key worker regional housing scheme managed by the Office for Regional Housing. This will deliver homes for police, teachers and healthcare workers in the Copper Coast, Riverland, Mount Gambier, Port Augusta, and Ceduna
*$3.5 million over five years for a dedicated office within Renewal SA to address housing shortages in regional South Australia.
Roads
The State Budget includes an extra $56.2 million in new regional road upgrades including:
*$40 million has been allocated to upgrade the Mount Barker roundabout at the intersection of Adelaide, Alexandrina, Wellington and Flaxley Roads, with completion expected by June 2026.
*$10 million will be spent over four years on targeted road safety initiatives on rural roads.
*Kangaroo Island will receive $6.2 million over four years for road improvements and maintenance.
These new measures are on top of the more than $350 million for regional road maintenance expected to occur over the next four years along with $23.5 million over four years to ensure the continuation of bus services in regional South Australia and the delivery of a range of initiatives.
Cost of Living
The Labor Malinauskas Government is providing $471.3 million for cost-of-living relief for South Australians who need it most, in the largest package of cost-of-living relief
measures ever deployed in South Australia including:
*$254.4 million in energy bill reductions for South Australians as part of the Energy Bill Relief Plan, jointly funded by the Commonwealth.
*$127.2 million in funding over 2023-24 and 2024-25.
The energy bill reductions are available to help more than 420,000 eligible SA households and 86,000 small businesses across SA. Households eligible under the plan will receive rebates of up to $500, while eligible small businesses will receive rebates of up to $650. The government is also providing $44 million over five years to boost existing state concessions in line with higher inflation.
Infrastructure
The Budget provides $3 million over four years to support the Outback Communities Authority in delivering better public facilities and services and $3.7 million over 5 years to cease the asset sustainability levy for outback residents introduced by the former Liberal government.
There is also additional money for Corrections, including $30 million over three years to upgrade prisoner accommodation and staff facilities at Port Augusta Prison and
$4.6million over four years to secure and fit-out a new Port Augusta Community Corrections Centre.
$20 million over four years to assist councils to address immediate and critical concerns regarding the condition and sustainability of a numbers of state jetties.
Education
The budget provides $35.7 million over four years for upgrades to government schools and preschools in the regions including at Meningie Area School and Yahl Primary School and $15.2 million over four years for a regional school bus services to replace the existing bus fleet on Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands with four-wheel- drive buses and to replace existing large buses in the regions.
Fire response
Additional resources have been allocated to boost South Australia’s ability to respond to fire emergencies including:
*$26.7 million over four years to Country Fire Service’s aerial firefighting fleet.
*$5.6 million in 2022-23 for extraordinary response costs for significant fires including at Mount Wedge, Lincoln Gap, Montacute, Port Lincoln and Baldina, as well as the extension of firefighting aircraft availability in line with bushfire risk.
Primary Industries
There is $2.4 million over three years to provide licence fee relief reflecting the extension of the current snapper fishery closure in the Spencer Gulf, West Coast and Gulf St Vincent fishing zones, and $3.9 million over four years to provide a snapper fishery recovery package.
$3.2 million, as a part of the $9.3 million package over two years will assist the implementation of individual electronic identification (eID) for sheep and goats.
$5.5 million over three years to continue the farm business resilience program and the regional drought resilience planning program to 30 June 2026, as well as the state’s contribution to the South Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SA Drought Hub).
$4.2 million in 2023-24 for rebates to eligible primary producers impacted by drought or natural disasters through the On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme.
$25 million over two years to undertake significant emergency fruit fly response activities following further outbreaks across the Riverland, assist in protecting South Australia’s pest free status and provide market access continuity for the state’s horticultural products.
There is also $1.6 million in 2023-24 to ensure the rebuild of the 1600km of dog fence in South Australia can be completed.
Other budget measures for the regions include:
*$1 million over two years towards design works for a new Brukunga Mine water treatment plant.
*$7.7 million in 2023-24 for the remediation of the former Mintabie Township.
*$2.1 million over four years to ensure the state maximises the public benefits from the development of its copper deposits.
*$2.7 million in 2023-24 to complete the APY Lands accommodation project Indulkana post.
*$100 million equity contribution in 2023-24 to progress a business case for the Northern Water project.
*$680,000 in 2023-24 for the maintenance and upgrade of soft interview rooms which support vulnerable witnesses.
Quotes
Attributable to Stephen Mullighan
Our regions are vitally important, pumping around $36 billion into our economy each year.
We are investing in health, housing, education, agriculture, transport, and cost of living relief to ensure our regions can grow and flourish.
Attributable to Clare Scriven
This budget builds on the State Government’s strong commitment to regional South Australians.
We know the pressures that are on families and individuals, and the supports for cost of living and housing, as well as sector-specific initiatives, will ensure our regional communities continue to grow.
Investments in industries such as fisheries, livestock, horticulture, and agriculture all have positive impacts in our regional areas as they are important contributors to our state’s ongoing prosperity.
Attributable to Geoff Brock
As a passionate advocate for regional South Australians, I am excited by the opportunities this budget will provide to regional communities across our state.
South Australians living in the regions deserve a State Government that takes a long- term view to delivering the services and infrastructure necessary to maximise future economic growth and prosperity in regional communities.
The additional funding from 2023-24 to support the Outback Communities Authority in delivering improved public facilities and community services in outback townships is crucial for visitors’ and residents’ safety and amenity.