The state government’s 2024/25 Budget is expected to announce a second consecutive surplus and growing debts – forecast in the mid-year Budget review to hit $38 billion by mid-2027.

Further funding has been locked in for mental health initiatives, alongside more funding for hospital beds and ambulance stations.

And as revealed by InDaily yesterday, a $47 million spend will go towards the development of new accommodation for three major arts organisations, the formation of a new arts investment fund, and the renewal of an ABC and SA Film Corporation partnership.

This comes on top of $715 million for early education initiatives, funding for the construction of more schools, $80 million for road safety, money for jetty upgrades, and more.

Mental health

The state government will invest $5 million in a range of new mental health programs for young people, including the introduction of virtual paediatric mental health services.

The free service digitally connects parents with a virtual team of doctors and nurses, who can provide medical advice over video link for children aged six months to 18 years old.

About $1 million per year will go towards additional staff for mental health services, including mental health nurses.

Over the next two years, the government will spend $300,000 on workshops to support parents with children or teens struggling with mental health issues.

A further $150,000 per annum until 2026 will enable the organisation Eating Disorders Families Australia to support families and carers of those with eating disorders.

Health

Another 36 beds will be added at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and a further 20 at the Lyell McEwin Hospital as part of a $30 million spend.

A further $58 million will go towards the SA Ambulance Service, of which $24 million will be spent on new ambulance stations at Marion, Two Wells and Whyalla.

The remaining SAAS funding will be spent on a new electronic patient care record system ($23.5 million) and an expansion of an existing telephone assessment service.

Arts

The state government will spend $47 million across a range of initiatives for the arts and creative industries.

The creation of an arts investment fund, new accommodation for major arts organisations and the extension of a partnership with the ABC make up the state government’s commitments to the sector in the 2024/25 State Budget.

Early education

There will be $715 million invested in early education under the budget, with $339.7 million over five years to go towards delivering three-year-old preschool access from 2026.

There will also be $96.6 million to go towards growing the early education workforce, and an additional $127.3 million towards developmentally vulnerable children, allowing up to 30 years of preschool access.

Over four years $30.6 million will be delivered to align the support offered in four-year-old preschools with what will be on over for three-year-old preschools.

A $14 million investment will be delivered over four years to increase the benefits Aboriginal children receive from the three-year-old preschools, and invest in early education from Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.

Schools

Over $218 million will be delivered for the construction of three new schools around Adelaide.

There will be $62.7 million for a new preschool and primary school in Mount Barker, which are expected to open in 2028.

A new high school will be built in Adelaide’s northern suburbs at a cost of $155 million. The school is also expected to open in 2028.

A further $38.1 million will be delivered to schools across the state for upgrades and expansions. These include:

• Surrey Downs Primary School: $16.5 million
• Bellevue Heights Primary School: $7.6 million
• Mount Gambier High School: $6 million
• Le Fevre High School: $4 million
• Mount Barker High School: $4 million

Roads

There will be $80.1 million for road safety, which will include $2.6 million for new signage near schools where the speed limit will be reduced to 40km/hour at priority locations.

The new speed limit will only apply during morning and afternoon pick up times on weekdays, and will not replace any existing 25km/h limits at school zones.

Priority push button crossings and new camera will be installed at a cost of $38.7 million over four years. The package includes 12 new red light and speed cameras, and three new point-to-point cameras.

Road safety maintenance will receive $35 million over three years, with $3.8 million over the same time for the construction of a new heavy vehicle rest area along the Princes Highway at Salt Creek.

Prison beds

More than $205 million will be spent over four years to deliver another 312 beds at Yatala Labour Prison.

This will take the number of beds to 1158, a 37 per cent increase. Work is expected to begin in August 2025.

An expansion at the Adelaide Women’s Prison will be delivered with a further $21 million over two years in the budget. This will equate to an additional 40 beds, with work to commence in January 2025.

Law and order

There will be $19 million committed over four years to develop and implement the South Australian Police digital police station, an online system to enable people to make reports.

There will be an additional $8.5 million over four years to fast-track a telephone resolution desk, to allow police to contact people who have made complaints over the phone, rather than attending non-emergency incidents.

There will be $9.3 million delivered over four years for the employment of up to 24 people for internal corporate or administrative roles in the Police force.

These budget measures are designed to allow more than 100 police officers and staff to conduct operational duties.

Jetties

An additional annual $5 million will be delivered from 2027 to 2028 for the maintenance and repair of jetties in South Australia.

The new funding extends the $20 million which was announced in last year’s state budget, locking in the four-year SA Jetties Renewal Program in perpetuity, the government said.

Local councils around the state lease jetties from the state, which makes them responsible for repairs and maintenance.

Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the government was continuing to “work with other councils who do not want to pay their share for this work, because their communities deserve action to be taken”.