State Budget Response
This week, on 5th June 2025, the State Government delivered the 2025-2026 State Budget.
As your Member of Parliament who has long been advocating for Government to address the cost of living pressures, calling for more community safety measures, more investment to address ramping crisis and improve our health system, further support for businesses, multicultural communities and tangible measures to support regional South Australia – I am pleased that there have been some new measures announced.
However, this budget is a missed opportunity for serious reform that would help address the significant concerns of small and family business owners across South Australia. There was no review of the State’s unfair payroll tax system and no measures to reduce the burdens of compliance, regulation and red tape that stifle productivity and growth.
We will need an estimated 15,000 extra workers in the building and construction industry within three years to meet demand for housing and infrastructure projects. I am disappointed that there are no new measures in this budget to attract and retain apprentices and no real investment in addressing skills shortages across our State.
While cost of living is still greatly impacting our community, there was little to relive the ongoing pressure on household budgets, with some continued programs such as the subsidy for school materials and only one new concession for cheaper public transport for school children.
More than three years after Labor’s election promise to ‘fix the ramping crisis’ the number of hours ambulances spend waiting outside emergency departments is still much higher than the worst month under the previous government.
It also incredibly concerning to see the State’s debt estimated to reach an eyewatering $48.495 Billion by 2028-29 – which will cost taxpayers $6.7 million per day in interest repayments alone.
In good news – a huge win for our multicultural communities with an additional $5 million per year for the next four years towards a Multicultural Community Fund. Throughout my 15-year parliamentary career, I have championed our multicultural communities and consistently advocated for better outcomes and initiatives to support an inclusive and vibrant community.
While I am waiting to see further detail about how the fund will be delivered and hope that it will be a transparent and competitive process that give all communities an opportunity to benefit, I am encouraged to see this investment in our diverse CALD community which shows that they are valued and cannot be taken for granted.
To access the full budget papers, please click here.
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