State Budget

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (15:29): Today, in the five minutes I have, I will highlight some of the areas of significance that form part of the 2016-17 state budget. Our government cares about today and about the future. We understand the importance of what having a job means to families—a job here in South Australia. Investing in education is investing in our future and that of our children and future generations.

The $500 million allocated to upgrade school facilities and prepare our children for jobs of the future is most welcome. As a former teacher, I am particularly pleased with this announcement which will see our children gain key skills needed to work in future industries, including high-technology manufacturing. It will of course also provide support and stimulus to the construction sector in the short to medium term.

There is $250 million to refurbish and development contemporary science, technology, engineering and mathematics facilities in the 139 public schools: 77 primary schools, 44 high schools and 18 R-12 schools. The STEM program in these schools is significant. Hillcrest and Hampstead primary schools will benefit through this program, each being allocated $1 million for this purpose.

There is $250 million for a loans program for private schools which, for the first time, will provide them with access to a loan facility at government borrowing rates to fund infrastructure that improves school learning facilities. There has been $10.6 million allocated to modernise the South Australian Certificate of Education by moving more activities online, and $38.1 million for government-funded preschools to lower the number of students per teacher, improving the student-teacher ratio.

Throughout my life, I have been an advocate for sport, particularly team sports. The benefits to the social and physical wellbeing from participation are well documented. The new, and upgrades to, sports facilities announced in this budget include:

$4.6 million for the provision of land at the former Ross Smith Secondary School to the City of Port Adelaide Enfield to develop a $15 million indoor community sport and recreation facility in Lightsview;

$10 million to the Football Federation South Australia to develop artificial, high-quality soccer pitches and upgrade soccer facilities across the state; and

$10 million for grants to sporting clubs to provides facilities for female participation in sport.

Adelaide City Football Club, in my electorate, has been the beneficiary of $1 million to develop an artificial, high-quality soccer pitch, and I have encouraged them to involve young people in the area in school holiday programs. We are investing to support wellbeing in our community with:

$1.5 million in additional funding to support and rehabilitate people affected by problem gambling, funded from the introduction of a wagering tax;

$90.7 million in additional disability funding to support the transition to NDIS and provide additional disability services support; and

$44.4 million to improve Aboriginal health outcomes.

Protecting the community is a priority, and the government is continuing to reform our justice system, improve our emergency services and provide additional resources to police through the allocation of:

$10.6 million towards a system being implemented that continuously monitors screening assessments for people who work with children;

$16.1 million to meet the government's commitment to recruit 313 additional police officers and support initiatives to ensure more sworn police officers provide front-line services;

$4.5 million towards reforming our justice system, reducing the time it takes for serious criminal matters to come to trial; and

$1.3 million to introduce a national system for SA Police to share information on domestic violence orders within and across jurisdictions as part of the national domestic violence order scheme.

As I said when speaking on the Appropriation Bill in this chamber yesterday, in our great state of South Australia, we need only to lift our heads and look around us to see the transformation that is being achieved right now by way of our infrastructure investments—investments that are augmenting and improving our state's transport, health and education; investments that create and sustain jobs in the present while anticipating future employment needs in a transitioning economy. This includes the redevelopment of many metropolitan and country hospitals, investment in roads and public transport, major upgrades to school infrastructure and the building of 1,000 residential homes in 1,000 days. Investment over four years includes:

$3.2 billion on health facilities, including the NRAH;

$1.6 billion on water infrastructure;

$222 million on the Adelaide Festival Centre precinct and Her Majesty's Theatre; and

$783 million on public transport.

This investment in infrastructure is significant. The average number of jobs per annum from government infrastructure spending is 5,800. Growing jobs in our state is a priority for this government, and that is why $244 million has been allocated to grow and support local jobs. Buying South Australian products grows local business and provides jobs to South Australia.

The $2 million allocated to the SA Made campaign is significant. This will be an awareness campaign providing South Australians with the information we need so we can identify, support and buy SA products. The government has delivered a budget surplus in 2015-16, and is forecasting further surpluses in the future. This is the eighth surplus the government has delivered since coming to office. For more information, visit www.statebudget.sa.gov.au.