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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-09-02 Daily Xml
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Bills

Appropriation Bill 2025

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 20 August 2025.)

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:29): I rise today to speak on the Appropriation Bill, and I indicate that I am the lead speaker for the opposition on this bill. This bill allows for the government of the day to appropriate funds to implement its budget priorities. It is an opportunity to assess not only how money is being spent but whether it reflects the real needs and concerns of South Australians.

We have seen $1.6 billion in budget blowouts across departments by this government: over $700 million in health, $150 million in child protection and millions more across human services and the environment. This is no longer a one-off budget blowout but appears to have become a pattern of financial mismanagement.

Once again, I highlight that cost-of-living pressures for South Australians have not eased. Energy prices are up by nearly $800 a year, and the costs of grocery staples are rising faster than wages. This government, boasting of receiving record stamp duty and GST revenue, has failed to provide real and meaningful relief. They appear to be benefiting from inflation.

The people in our state, especially young families, retirees and those in the regions, are paying the price. Adelaide is now the second least affordable housing market in the country, yet we see no new vision to address the housing crisis, just more red tape and delays and a serious lack of water infrastructure.

This government also promised to fix ramping, but instead we have seen the worst ramping on record. Then there is their so-called Hydrogen Jobs Plan, a $593 million promise that is now dead in the water. Over $250 million has already been spent and not a single kilowatt of power to show for it. We now know it truly should be known as the hydrogen hoax. South Australian taxpayers have had to pay the ultimate price and have not saved anything on their power bills.

Regional South Australians, once again, have been neglected. There is still no clear strategy to support regional health or to deliver critical infrastructure across our regions. For years, the opposition has called on the government to take community safety seriously. This government has consistently denied that South Australia has a crime problem to address, and yet this year's budget is suddenly focused on targeting crime. This contradiction speaks volumes.

This government is more focused on taking selfies than delivering. The mismanagement of key projects is hugely concerning, particularly around hydrogen and health. This budget reflects a government more focused on managing its message than managing our money. As debt continues to rise, it is clear this government has no plan to manage its debt or to deliver positive outcomes to South Australians. South Australians deserve better.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (15:33): I rise to speak on the Appropriation Bill before us. As my honourable colleague has pointed out, in accordance with the convention of this chamber, we on this side will be supporting it. But I have to be honest: today, this week, I am finding that support rather difficult. We are finding it hard to place our confidence in a government that has clearly forgotten to place its confidence in the people of South Australia.

We will support supply for government—that is our duty—but how can we continue to support that supply when the government continues to ignore the people who quite literally keep our state going: our farmers, our fishers, our winemakers, our growers and the regional communities that support them? I feel like I say this every time I have the chance, and every time my calls, my letters, and our suggestions—here is an opposition for bipartisan support—are met with indifference and with bureaucratic responses, rarely are they met with any meaningful action.

Not only are these industries being left behind; they are being left out. While this government asks us to back in its spending, it refuses to deliver practical, serious cashflow support to the very people who keep our economy alive. Where are the no and low-interest concessional loans to help our farmers through an extended drought? Where is the expanded support for our fishing industry and the coastal communities that rely on it? Where is the partnership with our world-renowned wine sector, a sector that exports globally, employs locally and showcases South Australia to the world?

Instead, we see more red tape and less confidence and we hear a primary industries minister who, just weeks ago, apparently told some of our producers that their wine was, and I quote, substandard. It is not just insulting; it is wrong, and it tells the entire industry that this government is not in their corner.

Instead, we have a government pouring hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into event management. Yes, we all enjoy events. Who would not, especially when someone else is footing the bill? But events do not drive the economy. A responsible government must focus on the fundamentals, the very basics that it promised to fix and won an election on, such as ramping. Time and time again, this government has shown that it cannot get the basics right. They have failed at the basics, they continue to fail at the basics, and South Australians deserve better.

Let's be very clear about what these industries mean to our state. Primary industries in South Australia generate more than $18.5 billion in annual revenue and support over 78,000 jobs. Agriculture, forestry and fishery alone contributed nearly $8 billion to our economy last year. These industries are not just nice to have, they are essential. They fill supermarket shelves, they put food on people's tables and they support our budget, create jobs and power our exports. Without them, the state's bottom line and the budget that this government relies on would look very different.

If we fail to get this right now—if we fail to provide the support, the cashflow and the vision our producers need—we are condemning ourselves to years of rebuilding, years of lost export markets, decimated regional communities, weakened supply chains and lost jobs.

Meanwhile, I have farmers calling me in my office every day. They share their hardships, and they are pleading for support—a hand up, not a handout—and yet they continue to show the grit and determination that defines country South Australia. I have fishers asking whether anyone in this government is listening. They are desperate to protect their livelihoods and hand their businesses on to the next generation. Every day I receive photos of failed crops, of livestock being sent interstate to find feed, and of dead fish washed up on the beaches along our coast. This is not some abstract concern. This is not about symbolic gestures. This is about the survival of the very industries that feed our people and support our economy.

Will we on this side of the chamber support the supply of government? Of course we will, as a matter of convention and as a matter of commitment, but will the government show us—and, more importantly, South Australians, particularly country South Australians—that it shares our confidence in the people who deliver this state's prosperity? That remains to be seen.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (15:37): I also rise to speak to this bill. Of course, as longstanding tradition holds, the opposition will support its passage, which is fundamental in enabling the state government to fund its various services and projects. Notably however, as my two esteemed colleagues have pointed out—highly esteemed colleagues perhaps; sorry, I did not mean to undersell them—I think there are many shortfalls in this budget and I will identify a number of them as I make my relatively brief contribution this afternoon. I would say at the outset that, if the opposition has the privilege of being elected to the governing benches in March next year, we will certainly set out to do things somewhat differently.

The budget delivered by the state government in June was calculated to have required a somewhat staggering $6.7 million a day, on average, in interest payments by the end of the forward estimates. This is an extraordinary amount which equates to over a billion dollars each year. It is an enormous amount of money that could have been allocated to providing better essential services and implementing measures that offer much-needed financial relief to South Australians who are struggling in what I think most people are now labelling a cost-of-living crisis.

As I have mentioned in this place previously, not only is South Australia suffering under this enormous debt burden but we also have one of the most expensive housing markets in the entire world. It is a travesty that the enviable lifestyle that South Australians have traditionally been known for is set to become a distant memory for younger generations if urgent action is not taken. This is the sort of stuff that changes societies, in my view. It is the sort of thing that as a parliament we need to act upon, and indeed it is ultimately at the feet of the government to do something to make this go away or at least, perhaps more accurately, to improve what is a very difficult situation.

For that reason, a Tarzia Liberal government, if elected in March next year, will abolish stamp duty for first-home buyers for established homes up to $1 million—completely abolish it if elected to power. Aspiring home owners are barely able to afford rent, let alone simultaneously save enough money whilst renting to enter the housing market. We all know this to be true. We have all met people, constituents or otherwise, who have told us stories of just how difficult it is to rent and save. So one thing that I think clearly we can do, and that a Tarzia Liberal government would do, is abolish stamp duty completely for homes up to the value of $1 million. This would make it substantially more affordable for people to buy their first home, saving something in the order of just under $50,000.

When a particular person or couple, as it may be, decides to purchase a house up to the value of $1 million, the price, of course, is not $1 million: it is $1 million plus stamp duty, and that stamp duty is just under $50,000 on a $1 million home—$48,600, if I am not mistaken. It is something in that order anyway, very close to that. The bill for the house buyer is actually $1,048,000 or thereabouts rather than it just being $1 million. There is some 5 per cent added burden that should not be there. That 5 per cent removed from the cost of the home for a first-home buyer will be a significant fill-up to their prospects of buying a home and, of course, will mean they will need a lower deposit as well, so there is a dual effect.

The government stamp duty exemption for all newly built homes is a step in the right direction. We acknowledge that, but clearly it does not go far enough as many South Australians, as I said, just simply cannot afford to build a house. They may be seeking something more modest, maybe a unit or a townhome or something in that order, which normally would be substantially less expensive than a brand-new dwelling. For that reason, we think it is wise, we think it is prudent and we think it is actually important and urgent to abolish all stamp duty on first homes, saving, as I said, in the order of just under $50,000, which will make it more affordable for first-home buyers wishing to buy their own homes.

I think the important point to make here is that this is the sort of thing that changes societies. If we have a continual reduction in home ownership levels in our society, then people do not have that sort of rock-solid base on which to build their lives, grow their families or whatever it may be. It is something that I think is a genuine, serious issue for our society to tackle. Governments must, absolutely must, eliminate barriers to home ownership. That is exactly what the Liberal Party will be doing for homes to the value of $1 million, which of course is above the median price in South Australia, although only just; it seems to be creeping up all the time. I have said enough about this issue, but it is very important that we acknowledge it because home ownership is the bedrock of society.

I would like to turn to something else. As the newly appointed shadow minister for training and skills, I have met with various stakeholders over the last couple of weeks. One of the things that stood out to me or has been raised and brought to my attention a number of times is a really significant skills shortage that we have in South Australia. To be fair, it is a national problem as well; it is not necessarily unique to South Australia, although certainly it has been raised with me as an issue of significant—indeed, I would even say immense—concern by those who have raised it with me.

That is why I am pleased that the Labor government chose to adopt a key Liberal policy to fast-track apprenticeships, which we announced late last year. That would create a situation where we will make it easier for people to engage in apprenticeships. One of the measures we have specifically announced would be to adopt three-year apprenticeships where possible, not the current four years, which it has been for some time. That has been well received by some sectors of the industry. They see that as a good step in the right direction.

It would, of course, add to the pipeline of increasing those with the skills necessary to build our houses, our roads, etc, whatever it may be, whatever particular skill they bring to the table. If it can be done in three years, the Liberal Party says it should be done in three years, and largely the industry has been quite supportive of that depending on the particular industry involved. We would also boost group training. We would also guarantee funding for construction training. We would introduce programs for mentors, for apprenticeships particularly, and also supervisors for those apprentices as well.

We could have a situation where all that process was fast-tracked, where support was put in place to make sure that completion rates are the highest they can possibly be, which of course is another concern. Completion rates are not at the level they should be and, if a Liberal government was elected, we would do everything we could to ensure that was the case. We would also introduce, as we have said publicly, payroll tax exemptions for trainees and apprentices and we would lift the status of apprenticeships by bringing world skills to Adelaide, which of course is something that we have announced publicly as well.

We would also introduce better career counselling and VET programs in all our schools. This would be a full and comprehensive approach that would at least go part of the way to addressing the skills crisis that we have, again, not just here in South Australia, to be fair—it is a national problem—but we certainly have it here, and more needs to be done to counter that problem. It should be one of the government's highest priorities, in my view. It all feeds into each other, of course, as we know.

One of the reasons we have very expensive housing is that we have a low housing supply. Why? Because we have skills problems as well—we do not have enough people with the right skills to build houses, for example. All these things feed into each other, and they need to be tackled in multiple ways.

Likewise, the Liberals are intent on developing strategies to assist South Australians struggling in small business amidst the surging cost of doing business, which we hear about almost every day. We implored the state government to increase the payroll tax threshold from $1.5 million to $2.1 million, but they have not done that in the latest budget. We ask why not, and we recommit to the fact that, if we were fortunate enough to be elected to the government benches in 2026, in March next year, we would install that policy.

We would have a policy where payroll tax was not paid below $2.1 million, which again takes a little bit of pressure off business, reduces their cost base, allows them to employ more people, etc. Again, all this stuff feeds into each other and we need to take a proactive and multipronged approach as a parliament and as a government, and that is certainly what the opposition would do if we were fortunate enough to be on the government benches.

In addition, we are all well aware that South Australians are now paying more for electricity than those living in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. This is a travesty. Another important cost-of-living boost our state is missing out on is the subsidies for home solar batteries, which the opposition has also announced. The state opposition has called on the Malinauskas government to reinstate the Liberal's home battery rebate scheme, which could save thousands for each household in up-front costs and ultimately slash their power bills, because when the wind does not blow and the sun does not shine they can draw on their batteries for cheaper power.

It would also assist in decreasing peak demand, which is when the highest prices are paid. Why on earth would we not look to subsidise these batteries, as the Liberals have announced? It is regrettable that the only energy-related policy the current government had was its hydrogen power project, which of course, as we know, has been shelved.

Only a Liberal government will make home ownership more accessible, cut red tape, lower taxes for business, lower the cost of bills and overall reduce the cost of living for everyday South Australians. Our state deserves more than the rocketing debt that I have mentioned, the broken promises, the outrageously expensive housing and the tax on housing and misguided priorities. We look forward to the next election and I support the Appropriation Bill.

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (15:48): I rise to speak in favour of the Appropriation Bill. This provides an opportunity to reflect on the recent Malinauskas government budget, which I think really does represent some missed opportunities for our state.

One of the areas of significant concern to the Greens is the failure of the Malinauskas government to seriously tackle the cost-of-living crisis engulfing our state. Several months ago, ahead of the budget, this council passed a motion calling on the Malinauskas government to commit to 50ȼ public transport fares. This is an approach that has been taken in Queensland and it has resulted in a significant surge in people using public transport.

Despite that, the Malinauskas government has refused to take action. We know that cheaper public transport fares will not only save commuters thousands of dollars but will also reduce congestion on our streets and deliver some really good outcomes for our environment. Yet, once again, we have not seen any action from the government on that. In fact, what they have done is increase public transport fares for most South Australians, and that is really disappointing.

The government has also refused to take any action on skyrocketing rent prices. I have been campaigning during this term of parliament to implement some rent controls, so that rent increases are tied to CPI. Again, the government has failed to take action, and so we are seeing renters being at the mercy of the market. For the Greens, we believe that housing should be a fundamental human right. Our housing system should be focused on people rather than the profit margins of vested interests and yet, sadly, we are just not seeing that leadership from the government.

The Hon. Dennis Hood touched on energy prices, and indeed the Greens are concerned about the Malinauskas government's failure to tackle skyrocketing energy prices. We want to see electricity put back into public hands, and that means bringing back ETSA. We should have a commission of inquiry into examining how we can do that. As the honourable member reflected, we also need to see a state-based battery storage rebate scheme, and we need to see a state-based solar rebate scheme. These were things that had the support of all sides of politics.

I was not a fan of the former Marshall government, but they did commit to retaining these schemes, as did the Labor opposition, and all parties supported those schemes. The moment the Labor Party came into office they cut these schemes, and that has been really disappointing. It is a bad outcome for the environment and it is a bad outcome for the hip pocket of most South Australians. The government said at the time, 'This is middle class welfare.' The minister, the Hon. Tom Koutsantonis in the other place, said this money is being misdirected. If that is the government's view, why did they not recalibrate these programs so that they were tailored towards low income South Australians instead? Instead, they have taken no action.

We are also concerned about the failure to take the leadership that we need on climate change. We have a situation where our state is being ravaged by climate change. We are seeing the effects of that on our oceans at the moment. Many of our oceans are, sadly, resembling graveyards, and we are seeing dead marine life washing up on our shores. That has not just happened by accident. It has happened because of climate change. We know that climate change is heating our waters and is creating the environment where this toxic algal bloom can spread and grow.

What is the Malinauskas government doing? We know that they have been asleep at the wheel over the winter break but, worse than that, they are continuing to give millions and millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies to the fossil fuel industry that is driving this crisis; we are seeing this in their budget. We need to see them change course and we need to see some vision from the government in terms of dealing with that.

The other area where the government has been found wanting in this budget is, of course, on health. This chamber also passed a resolution urging the Malinauskas government to make ambulance cover free for seniors, to slash ambulance call-out fees for pensioners. Again, we have not seen any leadership from the government in that regard, and so South Australians pay the highest ambulance fees in the country.

If you are in the unfortunate position of being somebody who has an insecure income or you are experiencing economic hardship and you call an ambulance, you are going to face some real problems because you are not being provided with affordable ambulance services in our state, and that is a real failure of leadership from this government, not to mention, of course, their failure to get ramping under control, and that is an issue that the Greens are going to continue to advocate for action on as well.

Speaking of vulnerable South Australians, I was very concerned to see at the last financial year for the first time ever in our state that South Australians have lost more than a billion dollars to pokies—more than a billion dollars to pokies. That is money that could be spent elsewhere in our economy.

We know that pokies literally destroy lives and rip communities apart. Many of my colleagues, I am sure, would have had this experience as well: over the last few years, I have had the opportunity to speak to many constituents who have lost their livelihoods as a result of gambling addiction, and yet the Malinauskas government seems to be addicted to pokies. They are relying significantly on pokies revenue as part of their budget. The Greens are saying that we need to phase out pokies by 2030, have a moratorium on all new machines, and let's provide a support package to our pubs and clubs so they are no longer reliant on that revenue.

There are a few other areas too where I feel the Labor Party could have shown more leadership in their budget. Scrapping school fees is one where really the government should have stepped up. It is a real shame that parents of children who go to public schools are still shelling out a huge amount of money in school costs. That needs to change.

Might I also say it is particularly galling that the government has not put this money into cost-of-living relief when they are spending so much money on government advertising. I mean, the Malinauskas government were very critical of the Marshall government's advertising spend. When the Labor Party were in opposition, they were very critical of the Malinauskas government's advertising spend, and they were right to be critical because some of it was quite outrageous.

But what did they do when they found themselves on the Treasury benches? They spent almost $100 million in just the first two years alone of their administration. We do not have the most recent spending, but we do know that they are going to be spending millions and millions of dollars in the lead-up to the next state election, slapping themselves on the back and telling us all how great they are.

I think South Australians who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis will find that to be pretty outrageous. Rather than spending so much money on PR campaigns and rather than spending so much money on telling us all how great you are, surely the government should be building the housing that we need, investing in the hospital beds that we need, investing in the public transport infrastructure that we need, rather than engaging in backslapping exercises. So, again, that is a failure of leadership from the Malinauskas government.

As we head towards the next election, the Greens will be out there campaigning for action on all of these things. I feel very excited about the next election and in particular our lead candidate, Melanie Selwood, who I think will be a really good addition to this place. Really, this Appropriation Bill demonstrates why we need Greens in this parliament so that we can continue to advocate for action on the areas that have been neglected by the Labor Party. So with that, I support the bill, but it does provide an opportunity to reflect on some of the missed opportunities, and I hope that whomever forms government after the next election will take these matters seriously.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:58): I rise today to speak on the Appropriation Bill. It is convention, like many honourable members have mentioned, to support the Appropriation Bill; however, I want to put some remarks on the public record. I feel that the 2025-26 budget was a missed opportunity to address the significant issues facing families, individuals, businesses and communities across South Australia.

The state's net debt is projected to almost double in five years, raising concerns about future South Australians inheriting a significant financial burden. I fear that our children and their children will have to pay that debt. Cost-of-living pressures remain one of the greatest challenges facing our state, with charities reporting unprecedented demand for support from people who never thought they would have to seek help to put food on their table or to keep a roof over their heads.

I was at the Australian Malaysian Business Council charity dinner last Saturday and their chosen charity was OzHarvest. The OzHarvest presenters had highlighted major problems in so many families not being able to access food and so much food being wasted. They are in a position to rescue that food and put it on the table for so many disadvantaged families.

Back to this Appropriation Bill. I feel that there was little in this bill to relieve the ongoing pressures on household budgets, with some continued programs such as the subsidy for school materials and only one new concession—only one—for cheaper public transport for school children. It was disappointing to see that the government did not implement the budget measures recommended by the Select Committee on Grocery Pricing in South Australia. I was a member of that select committee, chaired by the Hon. Robert Simms.

The recommendation from that report called for the government to provide additional cost-of-living relief, additional support to charities and support agencies that provide access to low-cost food and the potential for a payroll tax exemption for fresh produce businesses and primary production food businesses to reduce costs to industry and encourage competition. None of those recommendations were implemented and taken up by the state government. Easing the cost-of-living burden is an issue that is continually raised with me by community members across our state and must remain a priority for government and for all members in this place.

Just as families are feeling the pinch, so are the small and family businesses that form the backbone of our economy. This budget misses the opportunity for serious reform that would help address the significant concerns for 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.

Productivity is very much a hot topic at the moment, with the federal Economic Reform Roundtable taking place in Canberra last month. But it is more than just a buzzword; it is a vital component of raising living standards and growing our economy. Businesses have long been crying out for reductions in unnecessary red tape, with the latest survey of business expectations for the 2025 March quarter released by the South Australian Business Chamber finding that one of the biggest challenges for business is the sheer amount of red tape.

One respondent to the survey highlighted the issue succinctly when they stated that 'every dollar spent on red tape is at the expense of an hour spent on innovation'. That is why I will continue to advocate for tangible action to streamline compliance and reduce red tape to help support and encourage business growth, job creation, productivity and prosperity.

I have spoken numerous times in this place about the crippling impact of payroll tax on small and medium-size businesses. Countless business owners have told me directly that payroll tax is a key consideration when deciding whether they should take on more staff and that it seriously hinders their ability and ambition to grow and contribute to our state's economy. Raising the payroll tax threshold for small business will free thousands of businesses from this excessive tax burden, enabling reinvestment in staff, wages and innovation, and yet this government continues to ignore this call to change the payroll tax regime.

Supporting business growth also means ensuring that we have a skilled workforce to meet future demand, especially in sectors like construction and infrastructure. 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 deeply 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.

Just as we face skills shortages in construction, our health system is under immense strain, another area where this budget falls short. More than three years after Labor's election promise to fix the ramping crisis, ambulance ramping hours in our state in July were the worst on record. In fact, we have seen the worst 36 months of ramping on record and a Code Yellow that shut down essential planned surgery for weeks on end.

The response we saw announced by the Labor government last week was to double the capacity of the transitional hotel health service at the Pullman Adelaide Hotel from 24 to 48 beds in an effort to alleviate pressure on hospitals. As the Australian Medical Association has pointed out, this is not a long-term solution to our state health crisis, and they stated that hotels are not hospitals.

Of course, the federal government has a role to play by increasing investment in aged care to reduce wait times for federal aged-care beds and reduce bed block in our hospitals, but we need a concerted effort at the state level to increase hospital and rehab centre capacity and fund primary and community health care so that more people can see their GPs when they need to. This budget was sadly lacking in serious sustained investment in these key areas. The government maintains its illogical stance on GP payroll tax, a tax that only makes health care more expensive and increases pressure on our health system, leading to worse outcomes for patients.

Finally, I want to speak about a topic that is never easy to discuss but simply cannot be ignored. The Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence report was recently released, 'With courage: South Australia's vision beyond violence', outlining 136 recommendations to address what Commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja labelled a statewide crisis. One in 5,000 community members bravely shared their experiences with the commission, which received more than 380 written submissions.

We must listen to the voices of the courageous victim survivors who have shared their stories and the service providers who are on the frontline supporting them every day. We must take this opportunity to make generational change and tackle gender-based violence. While it is encouraging that the state government has committed to seven out of the 136 recommendations, it has only budgeted $3.5 million over the next two years to coordinate its response to the royal commission.

The report revealed an overwhelmed domestic violence sector where one in five calls to domestic violence services are going unanswered, a court system that accuses mothers of making false claims and police attending an average of 100 domestic violence incidents per day. As was made very clear in the report, there are many women and families who face additional challenges in accessing the support they need due to their backgrounds and where they live.

Culturally and linguistically diverse community members can experience specific and unique forms of violence and abuse, often compounded by the trauma of war or disaster, visa insecurity, language barriers and isolation. I believe the government can do more in investing in culturally appropriate support services for our culturally and linguistically diverse communities and in ensuring that women in regional areas can access the support and services they need, no matter where they live. We need to see a serious commitment in this space to ensure the royal commission does not become a box-ticking exercise. To see just $3.5 million allocated for public sector staffing is disappointing when urgent on-the-ground reform is much needed.

Whether it is economic reform, health investment or social justice, our community deserves more than piecemeal responses. They deserve lasting change and lasting reform. That is why I will continue to take every opportunity to call on the government to act. I will always advocate for sustainable and serious investment initiatives that will help us to build a safe, inclusive and more resilient community. If we are committed to ending gender-based violence, there must be investment in the services and reforms that build a better community, one where safety, dignity and support are not privileges but guarantees. We need government to do more to support families and businesses in South Australia. With those remarks, I commend the bill.

The Hon. T.T. NGO (16:09): The 2025-26 budget continues Labor's long-term focus on the welfare and wellbeing of South Australians. We are delivering more houses, a stronger health system and support to ease cost-of-living pressures. Close to $1 billion has been invested over four budgets to support South Australians with cost-of-living expenses, including $118.3 million in this budget alone.

Key measures include $20.7 million over four years to permanently cut the 28-day student Metro pass to $10, saving families up to $240 per student per year. The reduced fare has been a big win for primary and high school students, who can now travel to and from school for as little as 25¢ per trip. Families with two school-aged children could save about $1,084 in the 2025-26 year from cheaper travel, fee cuts and bigger sports vouchers. When this support is combined with the commonwealth government's tax cuts, energy bill relief and the continuation of the sports voucher program that now includes music lessons, the same family on a combined income of $150,000 could save over $4,300 during the 2025-26 year. Also $96 million will ensure the $200 material and services discount continues for around 120,000 students.

Compulsory third-party insurance remains below 2019 levels, with registration capped at 1.7 per cent. Drivers of an average four-cylinder vehicle will save almost $150 a year compared to when the scheme was first introduced in 2019. This equates to a saving of 36 per cent. Further, $1.6 million will offset higher fuel costs for remote towns. Other cost-of-living support in this budget will enable 225,000 households to receive the Cost of Living Concession, 50,000 more than last year. Seniors and Health Care Card holders continue to access free public transport at any time.

For our small and medium businesses and not-for-profit organisations, our state government will provide $20 million over two years to help them invest in energy efficiency equipment or improvements to reduce and manage energy use and costs. Eligible businesses and organisations will be able to apply for a grant ranging from $2,500 up to $75,000. I know that when I am out and about many organisations have inquired regarding this scheme. Drought-affected farmers will also receive cost-of-living support through 12-month rebates on the emergency services levy and registration for up to three vehicles.

The Labor government knows tough times can worsen our mental health. This budget provides $117 million in new mental health funding, part of a $1.9 billion five-year health package. More than 130 new mental health beds will be rolled out across South Australia, including 72 rehabilitation beds at three dedicated units at Modbury, Queen Elizabeth and Noarlunga hospitals.

An amount of $1.5 million will extend the Embrace Collective programs in schools and communities to promote resilience among children and young people. Regional South Australians facing the drought will see $2.5 million for on-the-ground mental health support, delivered alongside the broader drought relief I have already mentioned. Another initiative is that $13.9 million will extend the Mental Health Co-Responder program statewide, along with workforce strengthening and new psychiatry training positions.

As well as health, housing must and does remain a priority for this government. This budget delivers $552.4 million for approximately 2,935 new homes, including $270.1 million for the Playford Alive East project over nine years. This will deliver 1,300 new residential allotments, including a minimum of 30 per cent affordable housing. Another initiative is $104.7 million for the Southwark Grounds project over six years to deliver the Southwark Grounds master plan project, providing up to 1,300 new dwellings, including 20 per cent affordable housing and over 15 per cent new public open space. This will revitalise a key city fringe site that formerly housed the West End Brewery.

Another initiative is $30.5 million for Onkaparinga Heights over six years to deliver a project that forms part of the Malinauskas Labor government's Housing Roadmap. This is a site expected to provide at least 2,000 residential housing lots.

This government is committed to doing all we can to move renters off the rental roundabout and into home ownership and has introduced the rent-to-buy scheme. Eligible South Australians will be able to rent a home at a discounted 75 per cent of market rents for up to three years, after which they can buy that home at a locked-in price. As part of the Malinauskas Labor government's Housing Roadmap this initiative will create a pathway for eligible long-term renters to buy one of 100 homes currently under construction by the South Australian Housing Trust.

A partnership with the federal government has budgeted $135.1 million over three years for a range of social housing projects to support round 2 of the commonwealth's Housing Australia Future Fund program. With more housing being built, the government has plans to position our roads and infrastructure to cope with increasing population growth. Over five years, $80 million of works will be delivered in a fifty-fifty partnership with the Albanese federal government. This will upgrade Main South Road between Myponga and Yankalilla, adding overtaking lines, wider shoulders and safer sightlines.

Another fifty-fifty partnership with the federal government is that the Malinauskas government will invest $250 million to remove the Curtis Road rail crossing bottleneck. I used to work around that area and waiting in the morning to get to the office can be very frustrating. Another initiative is $655.3 million to upgrade heavy vehicle routes between Swanport Bridge and Truro, diverting trucks from the South Eastern Freeway and Portrush Road corridor. Diverting heavy trucks from our metropolitan roads reduces the risk of accidents and brings shorter travel times for other road users.

Many of us have experienced that travelling in and around metropolitan Adelaide often results in much longer travel times due to more traffic on our roads. A greater uptake of public transport use will offer some help to the growing problems of longer travel times. Following a successful trial period, the Mount Barker bus service will be integrated into the Hills metropolitan contract, ensuring the future of a convenient public transport mode for Mount Barker, Nairne and Littlehampton residents.

This budget does not lose sight of the big picture and positions South Australia for future industries in space, clean energy, cybersecurity, defence, health and AI (artificial intelligence). We are the only state that has a dedicated assistant minister for artificial intelligence. With the Hon. Michael Brown MP being appointed and working in this sector, and the Australian Institute for Machine Learning based in Adelaide, SA is building its national leadership role: $28 million over four years will develop an AI program across government sectors, and $50 million will be co-invested with the private sector to help SA startups scale nationally and globally.

Importantly, this budget will also sustain Labor's education initiative. It includes $70 million for a new northern suburbs preschool and primary school, $40 million for school upgrades as well as $171 million in loans for not-for-profit early childhood providers. Central to these reforms is the $1.25 billion Gonski Better and Fairer Schools Agreement, which the Malinauskas government signed with the Albanese government.

This is just a snapshot of the 2025-26 budget as Labor continues to improve health and housing, support rising cost-of-living pressures, build infrastructure, and invest in future industries and education. I am proud to be a member of a government that continues to drive long-term progress and prosperity. I commend the Malinauskas government for another budget that will steer us towards this outcome, as mentioned.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (16:22): I am proud to be able to stand here today and speak about this government's ongoing initiatives to improve South Australia's way of life and consolidate its future. Those objectives are met squarely in this budget.

In the great Labor tradition of striving towards the light on the hill, this is a budget of hope and opportunity for all South Australians. From those people struggling to pay their rent, to the farmers doing it hard on the land and to the workers, the business owners, the students and everyone else in between, we have strived to create a fair budget for all. More than just a fair budget, though, we are delivering one that continues to build new and stronger foundations for a prosperous future. While the major infrastructure projects continue—the ones that of course only came out of a Labor government, such as the $15 billion north-south corridor and the new $3.2 billion Women's and Children's Hospital—we have continued to factor in the needs of everyday South Australians.

In the four budgets so far, this government has invested almost $1 billion in cost-of-living relief. We are continuing that with a further $118 million this year to bring down basic daily needs like the cost of school materials and public transport. We have invested $550 million in getting almost 3,000 new homes built to help vulnerable South Australians get a permanent roof over their heads. From Playford Alive in the north to Southwark close to the city and Onkaparinga Heights in the south, families in need will have a chance to live well in the knowledge that they have a safe and secure future. First-home owners will get stamp duty relief, and we are introducing an affordable rent-to-buy housing initiative to eventually get people out of the endless rent cycle.

We are pumping $1.8 billion into new measures for regional South Australia. This is a sector that those on the other side are supposed to protect but one we support, regardless of where the votes come from. From the steelworks in Whyalla to the farms on the drought-stricken West Coast, we are here to back them.

We are providing a $55 million drought package to support primary producers and rural communities. We have allocated $13 million for on-farm infrastructure rebates so producers can invest in water security and suitable irrigation systems. We are providing rural business relief grants and rebates where applicable for the emergency services levy and vehicle registration, and we are investing in mental health support for rural communities.

Health in general is a big winner in this budget. Among almost $2 billion in health initiatives, we have allocated $77 million to cancer care and $14 million over five years for the Mental Health Co-Responder program. Established under Labor as a trial in 2022, this program is achieving outstanding results as it teams up mental health experts and police to respond to 000 call-outs. The hospitals are being improved and expanded. Almost $500 million has been poured into the Flinders Medical Centre upgrade and expansion, which started last November. It is on track to be completed in 2028. We are investing $45 million over three years to ensure the delivery of the new Mount Barker hospital, complete with 102 beds and mental health capabilities of its own.

More than $120 million goes to creating new ambulance headquarters on the city fringe at Mile End. It is part of the $310 million commitment over four years to establish new ambulance stations at Marion, Whyalla and Two Wells as well as upgrade existing stations. In a four-year partnership with the federal government, we are committing $43 million to a geriatric outreach service. This will help older people who have become or are likely to become long-term hospital patients to transition to residential care facilities. An extra $21 million has been added to the emergency services budget. This will include $5.9 million over four years to improve training for CFS volunteers.

Education is another big winner in this budget. We have allocated $70 million for a new primary school and preschool for Adelaide's north and the upgrading of several other schools. The new school will accommodate 400 reception to year 6 students, and the preschool will have an extra 60 spaces. A further $40 million will allow heating and air conditioning to be upgraded at many public schools. Schools at Banksia Park, Mitcham, East Torrens, Kilkenny, Hewett, Flagstaff Hill, Underdale, Renmark, Coromandel Valley and Goodwood are among those to benefit from the upgrades.

The budget is making important funds available to private schools. It also includes a $171 million expansion of the non-government school loan scheme for preschool infrastructure projects. The low-interest loans between $500,000 and $10 million will help private schools increase enrolment capacity, refurbish infrastructure and support student retention. Labor has always respected the right and the need of our kids to seek different paths for their education journeys, and it has served us well as we help create the tradies of tomorrow. With that in mind, we have put more than $130 million towards creating new technical colleges.

Labor has always been the party of the worker, and in recent years we have recognised the advantages of supporting large and small businesses. The more prosperous our businesses become, the better off the workers will become. We are providing more than $10 million to Business Events Adelaide. This is a proven investment, the type that keeps on giving. Business Events Adelaide is on track to pump $117 million into the state's economy this winter alone courtesy of 39 events likely to attract 20,000 delegates.

The Labor government is investing strongly in law and order to keep South Australia one of the safest places on earth, but we do not take it for granted and have provided the largest boost to police funding in South Australia's history. We have allocated $172 million delivered over six years to increase the number of police officers to 5,000. Of that sum, $17.8 million will be provided to add a further 33 motorcycle officers to the force. These officers are vital in a range of situations because of their ability to access emergency situations.

We are also putting $110 million into road safety measures, which are essential for the protection of everyone who uses our roads. Almost $90 million will be invested into the prison system to increase capacity and improve security. We are providing almost $7 million to improve security at our prisons. The improvements will include new high-tech security scanners at prisons across the state and the installation of new perimeter barriers at the Adelaide Women's Prison to address recent incidents of contraband being hurled over fences to prisoners. These initiatives are good news for all concerned. They improve safety not just for staff and the community at large but also for the prisons themselves.

We have allocated $8 million to help Adelaide win the right to host the coveted COP31 climate change conference late next year. I detailed the benefits of hosting this conference here in Adelaide a couple of months ago. The closer it gets to becoming a reality, the more obvious those benefits become. We have seen the odd short-sighted criticism from the other side that we cannot afford to spend this money. Nothing could be more wrong, and it shows just how inept they are when it comes to basic economics.

We have also spent money campaigning for Gather Round, and look how that has turned out. Economically, from a marketing perspective, and for the sheer enjoyment South Australians get from it, how it has worked out, in a word, is brilliant. The COP31 investment is money very well spent on an event that will deliver a potential $500 million windfall for the state. It will do more than that, though; it will bring in tens of thousands of visitors who may not have otherwise visited South Australia. It will reinforce our position as a state that cares about the global environment and it will put the world spotlight firmly on Adelaide.

In the same vein we have set aside $5 million for programs to support those South Australian businesses trading in new and growing overseas markets. Considering our exporters have achieved a record $127 billion in merchandise exports over the past two years, that is the definition of money well earned and well spent.

Grants ranging from $2,000 to $75,000 will be available to SA businesses wanting to invest in energy efficient equipment through a $20 million fund. Meanwhile, the big infrastructure projects continue. They have taken Adelaide from what was once referred to as a big country town to an international city, without losing its charm. While work increases on the north-south corridor, we have committed $601 million to the Princess Highway corridor, $400 million to the Marion Road upgrade between Anzac Highway and Cross Road, and $350 million to upgrade the South Eastern Freeway. The freeway has long been a credit to the state as a stunning entrance to a city that has no equal in Australia, and this will make it even better and safer.

In the driest state in Australia, we have always been aware of the need for water security. As such, we are spending $155 million this year on building the desalination plant at Billy Lights Point on Eyre Peninsula. Turning saltwater into drinking water is now a proven water security method, despite the past protests of those who just did not understand or refused to understand the science. This plant will be producing that drinking water by the middle of next year. This budget is being delivered while the Malinauskas Labor government maintains a commitment to no new taxes or tax increases.

If we look back to 2018 and the campaign of the former Premier from the other house, the Hon. Mr Steve Marshall, they promised GlobeLink. We heard the Hon. David Ridgway in this house go on and on about GlobeLink and what a great benefit it was going to be to the state. They then came up with the idea of a right-hand tram turn onto North Terrace, even though they knew for a fact that logistically this would never work. They misled the public. They had really nothing else.

They achieved Lot Fourteen, which was there as a result of previous Labor governments moving the new Royal Adelaide Hospital up to the other end of North Terrace. The Liberals opposed that from the very start. Their idea was to knock out a few walls and give it a paint job. That was their idea of a new hospital. Mr President, I know that you are fascinated with the amount of work done by Labor governments. In the true Labor tradition, it is a sweeping, big-picture budget, but it does not lose sight of the small things that affect every one of us.

The PRESIDENT: Attorney-General, bring some common sense back to this debate and conclude, please.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (16:35): I thank honourable members for some quite remarkable speeches that have been given during this debate. I look forward to the passing of this important piece of legislation for the people of South Australia.

Bill read a second time.

Committee Stage

In committee.

Clause 1.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: Just a quick question: will ramping be fixed by the end of this term?

Members interjecting:

The CHAIR: Everybody calm down.

Clause passed.

Remaining clauses (2 to 8), schedule and title passed.

Bill reported without amendment.

Third Reading

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (16:37): I move:

That this bill now be read a third time.

Bill read a third time and passed.

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