House of Assembly Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1) 54 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Ministerial Statement Ministerial Statement Federal Budget Federal Budget The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly Dunstan Premier The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:00): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement. Leave granted. The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I am pleased to report to the house on some of the key decisions affecting South Australia in last night's federal budget. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: In 2018-19, the commonwealth will provide South Australia with $10.8 billion in general revenue assistance and payments for specific purposes. This includes general revenue assistance from the GST of $6.9 billion next financial year, about $270 million more than estimated in the state's 2017-18 Mid-Year Budget Review. The federal budget provides $1.8 billion in funding for new major transport projects in South Australia. There will be additional funding of $1.4 billion for the north-south corridor, bringing the commonwealth's total commitment for this project to $3 billion. There is also $220 million for the Gawler rail line electrification and $160 million for the Joy Baluch Bridge at Port Augusta. In total, the commonwealth has committed $5.2 billion to land transport infrastructure projects in South Australia. The infrastructure commitments in this federal budget mean that South Australia has secured its population share of new national initiatives. They are in addition to the commonwealth's investment of $1.3 billion to build the new shipyard and submarine yard at Osborne and almost $800 million on other defence infrastructure across South Australia. These outcomes are to be contrasted with the 2017-18 federal budget, when the former South Australian government was unable to secure, in the words of the member for Lee, 'one new dollar' for South Australia in transport infrastructure. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: In education, the commonwealth will provide needs-based funding to school students in South Australia of $5.8 billion over four years. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: In public hospital funding, South Australia is estimated— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —to receive $7.1 billion over the five years to 2021-22. The budget also confirms the intended funding arrangements for the period of the next national health agreement to 2024-25, which will deliver growth in commonwealth revenue of up to $1.5 billion for South Australian public hospitals over this period. In supporting the need for more apprenticeships and traineeships— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —the commonwealth is offering a new four-year agreement estimated to provide nationally $1.2 billion. My government will continue to give the highest priority to negotiations with the commonwealth to secure support from the Skilling Australians Fund to reverse the serious decline— Mr Koutsantonis interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for West Torrens! The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —in recent years in the number of people undertaking apprenticeships and traineeships in South Australia. This is particularly important to ensure that South Australia can provide the skilled workers that will be required by the naval shipbuilding program to be undertaken here in South Australia. The Prime Minister has advised that the commonwealth will soon write to South Australia about this funding agreement. Mr Koutsantonis interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will be seated for one moment, please. An honourable member House of Assembly An honourable member: Kick him out, sir. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I might do that, but not yet. The member for West Torrens, being the father of the house, knows the standing orders very well. He has been interjecting, and he will cease, please. Mr Koutsantonis House of Assembly Mr Koutsantonis: Thank you, sir. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Premier, please continue. The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr Speaker. In an overall sense, the 2018-19 federal budget will build a stronger economy through income tax relief, including for more than 700,000 South Australians, and backing business to invest and create jobs. Mr Koutsantonis interjecting: The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: This is exactly what the South Australian government will also be doing through measures to be implemented in coming months, including reduction in ESL bills for households and for businesses, scrapping of payroll tax on small business and capping council rate increases. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I warn the member for West Torrens a first time. Minister for Transport and Infrastructure.