Cops and corrections win in South Australian budget

ABC NEWS (Australia)

It's a state budget that's been labelled as "stable" and "safe". And one where cash for cops and corrections and education is balanced against a blow-out in health and state debt.

Transcript

00:00In this state budget, law and order are the biggest winners.

00:06The government will spend $172 million to bolster police numbers to 5,000 over six years

00:13and add more than 100 prison beds to the state's correctional facilities.

00:18It's also setting extra money aside for prison security

00:21and boosting police security officers in regional areas.

00:25The government is already struggling to keep up with the police that they need to attract and retain.

00:31Education also got a boost.

00:33There's $27 million in the budget for another 2,000 places for three year olds in preschool

00:38and money for a brand new school in Adelaide's north.

00:42When it comes to help for household budgets, parents of school children are the only real beneficiaries

00:48with a new monthly public transport pass for students.

00:52But while the government's school fee reductions will continue,

00:55this year's cost of living package is otherwise significantly smaller than last year's.

01:00Housing has been at the heart of previous labour budgets,

01:03but this time the government has instead focused on its existing projects,

01:08pouring more than $400 million into those developments.

01:12The state government will chip in $125 million for an Adelaide freight bypass,

01:18well short of the more than $500 million needed to match the federal government's desired 50-50 split.

01:24The health budget continues to swallow about a third of the state's finances,

01:29and climbing demand for health services has forced the government to pump an additional $1.7 billion into the health system.

01:37The reality is that the demands in the system on nurses and midwives are far too great to endure.

01:43There isn't any new funding for the stalled First Nations Cultural Centre Takari,

01:48but there is $13 million over four years for a new cultural policy.

01:52Even though this is a pre-election budget,

01:54it doesn't contain any major new policies designed to win voters over.

01:59The SA public will get their chance to say whether it's enough to keep them on side in March next year.

02:04It's a great way to get their chance to be a team to be a healthy part of the current class.

02:08It's a great way to get their chance to be a team.

02:13What is an opportunity to do?

02:14We will have a team.

02:16The SA public wants to get their chance.

02:18Even if it's broadcast or not on a team,

02:21you know, it's the same as if you have a team.

02:22You can add,

02:26what is the case to do?

02:28It is a team.

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