No new projects for the Murraylands in the 2024 state budget

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The Murraylands has missed out on targeted spending on health services, housing developments or other local projects in this year’s state budget.

State-wide initiatives such as preschool for three-year-olds, the removal of stamp duty for first home buyers and a $243.90 cost of living concession payment stole most of the headlines as Treasurer Stephen Mullighan handed down his plan for 2024-25 last Thursday.

The only funding included for local projects was:

• $15.2 million for managing a tuberculosis outbreak here and in the APY lands
• $11.5 million for levee repairs after the 2022-23 River Murray floods, announced in February
• $1.1 million for flood remediation work on Crown land along the river

Not funded were projects such as an upgrade of the Murray Bridge hospital, a new freight route through the Murray Bridge district, duplication of the Swanport Bridge, better public transport, or improvements to Fraser Park or other local schools.

Local Liberal MP Adrian Pederick was not impressed.

“I am extremely disappointed at the lack of infrastructure funding not only in (the electorate of) Hammond but right across the state,” he said.

“It is absolutely astounding that there is no new investment in Murray Bridge or Strathalbyn, particularly considering they are part of the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan and are expecting substantial growth in the near future.”

He also criticised a reduced budget for regional roads.

Independent MP Nick McBride welcomed the cost of living payment, reduced school fees and extra children’s sporting vouchers.

But he, too noted that more spending on health and roads would have been nice.

“Overall, while the budget will assist some people with cost-of-living pressures, there is still much more that is needed in my electorate,” he said.

“I look forward to continuing to advocate to the government for better outcomes for the people who live and work in MacKillop.”

Government is more interested in regional housing than it’s letting on, Treasurer says

Asked whether it was fair that two housing projects in suburban Adelaide had been allocated $576 million worth of funding, while the Office for Regional Housing had been given a budget of $30 million, Mr Mullighan deflected.

“I don’t want you to feel that, between those two figures, that reflects the level of interest from the government in investing in the regions,” he said.

Of 400 new Housing SA properties being built across the state, 150 were in the regions, he pointed out – including 15 in Murray Bridge.

However, he hoped councils and major employers would be able to partner with the Office for Regional Housing to “unlock development opportunities”.

“That (office) is meant to be the one-stop shop for regional communities that want to partner with the government to unlock further housing,” he said.

“They will have the capacity to coordinate other issues around land division, getting utilities connected to wherever the land is, planning approvals and so on.”

The $15 million Thriving Regions Fund might also be able to help with worker housing.

The ministers responsible for housing and regional development, Nick Champion and Clare Scriven, would be in a position to announce specific projects further down the track.

The SA Council of Social Service, a peak body for community organisations and service providers, argued that more needed to be done to end the housing crisis.

“To make a genuine impact … the government needs to be building at least 1000 public and community houses a year,” CEO Ross Womersley said.

COTA SA, representing older South Australians, echoed that call, saying that increases in housing stock were failing to keep up with demand.

What about public transport?

The state budget included $10 million for an investigation into extending Adelaide’s passenger rail network, but with a focus on Adelaide’s north and south.

The government was aware that some people wanted the Belair line extended to Mount Barker or Murray Bridge, Mr Mullighan said.

But it would have to consider:

• how many people would use a service
• who would deliver the project
• what sort of trains would be needed
• what timetable a service might operate on

“As a former transport minister, I get quite excited about these sorts of things,” he said.

“These things take an enormous amount of effort, but it’s just … transformational.”

The RAA welcomed the idea of extending Adelaide’s railway lines, but criticised the fact that no funding had been provided to duplicate the Dukes and other highways.

• More information: www.statebudget.sa.gov.au.