Free public school and cleaner beaches: The latest SA election pledges
The Premier has announced a plan to abolish public school fees if Labor is re-elected. The Greens say the major party is copying their homework. Meanwhile, the Liberals set a target of zero litter in SA coastlines by 2035.
Premier Peter Malinauskas announced a plan to abolish school fees at Grange this morning, while Opposition leader Ashton Hurn unveiled a zero litter target during Clean Up Australia Day at Glenelg North.
Labor’s plan would abolish public school fees from the 2027 school year, which the Premier said would save 90,000 families an average of $8000 per child across their schooling.
Currently, public primary schools have an average fee of $382 per year, while secondary school fees average at $723 per year for materials and services.
Malinauskas was flanked by Education Minister Blair Boyer and beachside state election candidates David Wilkins for the seat of Lee and Aria Bolkus for the seat of Colton at the announcement.
“It is our firm view in Labor that education is a right, it’s not a privilege, it’s something that everyone should be able to get access to,” Malinauskas said.
“But the cost of public school fees is a struggle for many families. Families should not experience financial pressure to send their children to public school.”
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The policy to abolish school fees would replace the current $200 rebate parents receive for school fees, education Minister Blair Boyer said.
Boyer said the policy to abolish fees would involve a legislative change to ensure schools cannot “start adding a few extra fees here and there”.
Boyer said the money the government commit to removing fees would include indexation, so schools would still be able to provide the same level of education as costs rise with inflation.
Greens leader Robert Simms said he welcomed the Labor Party “copying the Greens homework” for its election promises.
The SA Greens, with federal Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, announced in 2025 that it would push for a cost-of-living relief package in the education sector, which included wiping SA school fees.
“I hope that Labor continue to copy our homework. Next step must be to match our plan for free school breakfasts and lunches in every public school,” Simms said today.
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Liberals pledge cleaner beaches target
Today, Liberal leader Ashton Hurn joined beach clean-up efforts at Glenelg North to announce a $4.3 million plan to reach a zero litter to ocean target by 2035.
The target would mean stopping all litter larger than five millimetres, such as cigarette butts, from reaching any creek, river or the ocean during rainfall events, Hurn said.
The target would prevent about 7,500 square metres of litter from entering SA oceans each year – the equivalent of more than 3000 wheelie bins of rubbish – according to environmental consultant Ocean Protect.
Hurn said if elected, the Liberal Party would invest in key initiatives to make sure pollutants are kept out of SA rivers and oceans long-term.
This would include auditing stormwater treatment across greater Adelaide and partnering with councils to upgrade critical water treatment assets.
“A day at the beach is part of our way of life as South Australians, and there’s nothing worse than putting your towel down next to some rubbish,” Hurn said.
“We’ll take real and practical action to stop litter before it gets into our waterways and clogs up our beaches with rubbish.”
Hurn made the pledge on Clean Up Australia Day alongside Liberal shadow environment minister David Basham and Liberal member for Morphett, Stephen Patterson.
Basham said events like Clean Up Australia Day should be commended for their fight against litter, but images of rubbish-strewn beaches should not be the norm.
The zero litter target adds to commitments already announced under the party’s “Save our Seas” plan, which includes: offering $100 vouchers to buy fishing equipment, a $21 million fisheries buyback scheme and $30 million for marine habitat restoration.
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