SA Budget 2014: In detail

Jun 19, 2014, updated May 13, 2025

While the State Government won’t tell us where $332 million of Commonwealth funding cuts to health will be made, here are the details of the  spending and savings measures (we know about) that will affect you.

Health

The state government is citing a $655 million cut to Commonwealth health funding over the next four years.

  • $234 million in state funding has been taken out of upgrades to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (stage 3A), the Flinders Medical Centre, the Modbury Hospital,  and the Noarlunga Health Service Redevelopment (stage 2A) and redistributed to a Health Capital Reconfiguration Fund.
  • $17.5 million will go towards the redevelopment and expansion of the Flinders Medical Centre neonatal unit, with another $15 million per year allocated for operating costs.
  • The government will establish a Mental Health Commission at a cost of $9 million over four years.

Education, skills and training

The state government will keep its side of the bargain on the Gonski school funding deal to the tune of an extra $72 million for schools over four years. Plus:

  • There will be $85 million to build a second high school on the old RAH site in the city.
  • An additional $13.7 million will go towards expanding services at SA Children’s Centres.
  • Every public school student will have access to a school counsellor by 2015-16, with $14.2 million of state government funds over the next four years.
  • Formerly expected Commonwealth funding will be removed from the forward estimates.
  • The government will fund 20,000 new places for VET students with $63 million over three years.
  • There will be new training places in the Skills for All program, at a cost of $63 million over three years.
  • The government will spend $60 million on its ‘Our Jobs Plan’ following the closure of Holden in South Australia.
  • $600,000 in new spending over four years will go to employment and training organisation Don’t Overlook Mature Expertise (DOME)

Transport

Commuters will pay a surcharge on tickets to major events such as concerts to pay for public transport to those events, saving the government $4 million per year.

The state government is also budgeting to earn $121 million over the next 4 years from the carpark tax ( Transport Development Levy) though that measure is unlikely to pass the Legislative Council. In addition:

  • Public transport tickets will rise by between 2 and 3 per cent in the next financial year. Single-trip tickets will rise by 10 cents each, while a 28-day pass will increase from $114 to $117.
  • $160 million will be spent on the extension to the O-Bahn, running via a tunnel from Hackney Road into the CBD.
  • $124 million over five years will go towards the $620 million Darlington upgrade
  • $152.5 million from 2017-18 on the Gawler rail line electrification.

Roads

  • $124 million over five years will go towards the $620 million Darlington upgrade
  • $896 million over five years will go towards the Torrens Road to the River Torrens.
  • $842 million goes towards the South Road Superway
  • $46.5 million goes towards the Festival Centre Car Park and Plaza.

Fees and charges

Overall, state government fees and charges will rise by 2.7 per cent over the next financial year. In addition:

  • Families save $142 over two years on motor vehicle Compulsory Third Party premiums.
  • The Emergency Services Levy will increase by $150 for the average home. This will include an $8 increase for a standard vehicle registration.
  • The average residential water bill will rise from $772 to $794.
  • Five-year driver’s licence renewals will increase in cost from $195 to $200; 10-year renewals will go from $390 to $400.
  • Speeding fines will also increase in cost. An expiation notice for a speed limit breach of between 10 and 20km/h, for example, goes from $340 to $349.

The regions

The state government’s agreement with Geoff Brock to form government will bring the Regional Development Fund up from $1.6 million a year to $15 million a year. It also includes a one-off , $10 million jobs fund and increased funding to $3 million for new projects by the Regional Development Australia Boards.

  • $6 million will be provided over four years to reduce electricity payments for regional households and businesses.
  • A regional jobs accelerator fund will cost $10 million in 2014-15.
  • The Agribusiness Accelerator Program will get $6 million over four years.
  • Nine additional dialysis units will be set up at the Gawler Health Service, costing $10.5 million.
  • $852,000 will go towards expanding the Skills for Jobs in Regions program.

The public service and the government

  • An extra 2% “efficiency dividend” will be applied to the public service between 2015-16 and 2017-18, saving $127 million.
  • Wage growth will be limited to 2.5% per year. The government says any increases above this limit will be funded either by productivity gains or further budget savings
  • A new ministerial office for Independent and Liberal defector Martin Hamilton-Smith will cost $8.8 million over the next 4 years.
  • Executive and ministerial staff salaries will be frozen for the 2014-15 financial year, saving the government nearly $210 million over the next 4 years. State politicians will have their pay frozen during the same period, saving $2.6 million over the next 4 years.

Aboriginal affairs

Overall, $3.2 million is allocated for a range of community and job opportunity programs for Aboriginal people. Specifically:

  • $1.23 million over four years goes to governance and leadership programs.
  • $1.025 million over the same period goes to Aboriginal corporate partnership group Jawun.
  • The Aboriginal Foundation of South Australia will receive $200,000 to provide commercial advice to Aboriginal communities.

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Disability

  • A serviced apartment complex will be built for people with disabilities in the city.
  • A City Disability Respite Facility will be built at a cost of $7.4 million over two years
  • $3.2 million will be spent over four years to improve services in the justice system for people with disabilities.
  • A feasibility study will be commissioned into the idea of setting up a disability hub in Adelaide’s Northern Suburbs, at a cost of $400,000.
  • James Nash House will will pick up $1.7 million over four years for a rehabilitation unit for patients with an intellectual disability.

Business and employment

  • Small to medium businesses will get a temporary payroll tax concession and an off-the-plan stamp duty concession.
  • According to the government, reforms to WorkCover will lead to reductions in levies and lessen costs to businesses.
  • The Unconventional Gas Royalty will be deferred.

Tourism, sport, recreation

  • Primary school students will receive $50 vouchers from next year to help pay for sports club fees, costing $7.7 million over four years.
  • A new $65 million motor racing facility proposed by Peregrine Corporation – the company that runs ‘On The Run’ convenience stores – will be co-sponsored by the state government to the tune of $7.5 million in the 2014-15 financial year.
  • The government will aim to attract more major events to the state with a $6 million Major Events Bid Fund.

Pensions and low incomes

  • $32 million will be spent to pick up the slack from federal cuts to pensioner concessions.
  • The state government will stop funding concessions on local government rates to seniors and low income earners at the end of the 2014-15 financial year. Currently, pensioners and low income earners receive a concession of $190 per year; Seniors Card holders get $100 per year.
  • The government will increase the energy and medical heating and cooling concession by $50 a year, increasing the maximum to $215 per year. That will cost $41.7 million over four years.
  • 1000 solar hot-water systems will be installed in Housing Trust homes over the next financial year, costing $5.5 million.
  • Financial counselling will be provided to low-income families in partnership with Good Shepherd Microfinance at a cost of $3.68 million.
  • A housing grant for seniors of $8,500 will cost $14 million over two years.
  • Foodbank SA will receive $1 million to

Environment and conservation

  • Metropolitan parks and reserves will be expanded and improved with $10.7 million of government funding.
  • $2.25 million in grants will be made available to improve recreational fishing facilities.
  • The RSPCA will receive an extra $1 million in funding per year.
  • A migratory bird sanctuary will be established over the former Dry Creek salt fields.
  • Animal welfare measures, including the development of a business case for a publicly accessible database for pet owners, traders and breeders, will get a $200,000 boost.

Food and wine

  • $3.2 million will go to Food SA and the SA Wine Industry Association to continue their work with the state’s food and wine industries.
  • The Tasting Australia food festival will become an annual event from 2016, costing $2.5 million over three years.
  • A symbol to certify high-quality SA produce will be developed, costing $1.5 million.

Mining

A Mining and Petroleum Services Centre for Excellence will receive an additional $4 million over four years.

  • The PACE program will be expanded over four years by $4 million. That brings the total spend to $30.2 million between 2014-15 – 2017-18
  • A new State Drill Core library will cost $32.2 million.
  • An airstrip at Innamincka will be constructed for oil and gas exploration in the state’s Far North, costing $4 million.
  • Royalty payments for unconventional gas will be deferred.
  • The Extractive Minerals Royalty rate will be increased from 35 cents per tonne to 55 cents per tonne. In addition, private mines will pay royalties on minerals upon the first transfer of ownership. These two measures will save the government $3.2 million per year.

 Law and order

  •  $8.9 million will be spent tracking serious offenders using GPS technologies.
  • $5.3 million will be spent on the Henley Beach Police Station over four years.
  • The Victims of Crime compensation fund will be increased by $9.7 million over three years.
  • Neighbourhood Watch will get a $2 million boost over the next four years.
  • A virtual-reality police driving simulator will cost $150,000, while $380,000 will be spent in the same year on a firearms training simulator.
  • Local councils will receive $2 million over four years to install CCTV systems, security lighting and other security technologies.
  • The South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal will receive $3.1 million over four years to expand its remit to include consumer disputes.
  • $700,000 will be allocated to facial recognition technologies.
  • The government will continue the recruitment of 300 new police officers.
  • $300,000 go towards a trial by councils of a graffiti reporting mobile app.

 

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