The South Australian (SA) Labor government’s first State Budget will deliver cost of living relief to residents most in need as rising day-to-day expenses and high inflation continue to exert pressure.
However, the Opposition argues that the Budget doesn’t include enough relief for households.
Delivered on Thursday, the 2022-23 Budget will benefit pensioners and other Centrelink recipients, low-income earners, school parents, and those living in regional and remote areas of the state.
Among the measures is a $39.3 million (US$28.5 million) investment to more than double the Cost of Living Concession in the 2022-23 financial year, meaning eligible home owner-occupiers will receive a one-off payment of $449 compared to the previous $217, while eligible homeowner-occupiers who are also self-funded retirees will see their concession climb from $108 to $224.
Meanwhile, through a $5.2 million investment over four years, eligible seniors will enjoy free public transport all day, every day, while eligible school parents and caregivers are set to receive a $100 subsidy towards the Materials and Services Charge for the 2022 and 2023 school years via a $24 million commitment.
Motorists in remote areas also stand to benefit, as the government invests $12 million over four years to reintroduce the Outer Areas Registration Concession for vehicle owners in remote regions like Kangaroo Island and Coober Pedy.
All South Australian motorists can still take advantage of the mandatory fuel price transparency scheme, which will continue after a successful trial by the Marshall government.
The scheme works by requiring all SA fuel retailers to report their prices to a central database within 30 minutes of when the price changes at the pump. Motorists are then able to access fuel price information close to real-time via an existing fuel app.
Former Premier Steven Marshall said the scheme is designed to not only inform motorists of where the cheapest fuel is but also put pressure on all petrol stations to refrain from price gouging.
The $1.8 million investment in the scheme by the Malinauskas government will include funding to enable compliance activities to be carried out.
SA treasurer Stephen Mullighan said that many South Australians are feeling the pinch due to the rising cost of living.
“While government can’t click its fingers and make the cost of everyday items cheaper, what we can do is provide targeted relief to those who need it most,” he said.
“Of course, we would love to provide greater cost of living relief to everybody, but we are taking a prudent approach and targeting this modest cost of living relief to South Australians in dire need of support.”
However, Opposition leader David Speirs said on Thursday that the Budget delivered “next to no cost of living relief for households”.
“We know that costs, inflation, CPI are skyrocketing at the moment, and so we need to see relief provided to South Australian households,” he said.
“This Budget didn’t provide any of that, and I worry for South Australians on that side of things.”
Speirs said that the Liberal Party will continue to scrutinise the Budget and put forward alternative ideas as to how government can deliver services that ensure people from all walks of life and every part of the state are looked after.
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