$48m to upgrade South Eastern Freeway’s Heysen Tunnels in federal budget

The Federal Budget will drop $50m on a refit of the freeway’s tunnels – and $5m to plan a freight bypass for Adelaide.

Stage two of a $48 million upgrade and refit of the Heysen Tunnels is one of the Federal Government’s biggest splurges for Adelaide’s east in the annual budget.

The Goodwood and Torrens Rail Junctions Project will receive $3 million.

There is also $5m for the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass Planning Study.

However, Member for Sturt James Stevens said there was a large investment in aged care.

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

HEALTH

The budget revealed the Australian Government will hand down $26.3 billion to support state health services, including $25.6 billion in National Health Reform funding.

When it comes to SA-specific funding, the budget greenlit $1.541 billion in health support, with the National Health Reform funding resulting in a massive $1.481 billion for hospital services, $31.8 million for public health and a further $28.7 million in the COVID-19 health response this financial year.

$26.3 billion has been handed down to support state health services

Treasury officials said the funding was “linked to growth in public hospital activity, the national efficient price and national efficient cost determined by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority”.

Meanwhile, a further $8.1 million will go into community health, hospital and infrastructure projects to ensure patients “can access the care they need, where they need it”. while budget papers also revealed public dental services for adults would get a $9.4 million boost across the state this year.

End-of-life care in SA will also benefit from a further $800,000, while Specialist dementia care facilities will receive a further $300,000 in the 2021-2022 Federal Budget.

“The Australian Government is providing funding to improve access to palliative care for older Australians living in residential aged care facilities, supporting new approaches, such as ‘in reach’ services, that will improve palliative and end-of-life care,” Treasury officials said in the budget.

EDUCATION

A massive $24.848 billion in education funding, mostly made up by the $24.436 billion in “Quality Schools funding to government and non-government schools in all state”.

Public schools the state will divide up $3 billion in Federal Government funding, whereas non-government schools will benefit from $4.454 billion in federal support.

TAFE students are also set to benefit, with $2.5 million in statewide funding to “improve vocational education infrastructure, ensuring TAFEs are equipped to deliver training to the standards expected by students and industry”.

TAFE SA will receive $2.5 million.

While $8.5 million in Skilling Australia’s funding will go to increase training in SA occupations in high demand, currently relying on skilled migrants, future growth industries, and rural and regional areas.

A Treasury spokesman said there was a “strong focus” on apprenticeships and traineeships.

The government will allocate more than $26 million for the next four years to help tertiary alternatives to university to attract more domestic students through 5000 additional short course places in 2021.

A $1.1 million boost to the end of 2021 will also create new employment pathways for university students and boost incentives for universities to enrol students in “industry PhDs”.

TRANSPORT

A further $8.4 million in black spot funding will be rolled out to “improve the safety of road sites that have been identified as high-risk areas for serious crashes”.

“Funding is aimed at improving sites that have a record of at least three accidents involving casualties over a five-year period and can demonstrate a benefit-to-cost ratio greater than two,” treasury officials said in budget papers.

Black spot funding will get a major cash boost

SA motorists are set to benefit from a massive $488.3 million in roads investment funding, while commuters will be supported by an $51.1 million investment in Rail funding.

Budget papers also announced the allocation of $104.9 million in cash towards the Urban Congestion Fund, which aims to “remediate pinch points, improve traffic safety and flow and increase network efficiency for commuter and freight movements in major urban areas”.

RECREATION

Fishers and campers across South Australia will also benefit from $900,000 in funding for local councils to improve, maintain or build new boating, marine rescue, fishing and camping facilities.

TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY

The tourism and hospitality sectors will receive a welcome boost as the government temporarily allows student visa holders in those sectors to work more than 40 hours per fortnight.

This builds on previous measures in response to COVID-19 which allowed international students in critical sectors such as agriculture, health and aged care to also work more than 40 hours per week.

Craft beer and winemakers will see major tax cuts. Photo Lachie Millard

Craft beer brewers will join winemarked in receiving a $55m boost for the next three years and $60m the year after in tax refunds of any excise they pay up to $350,000.

The government plans to provide additional support to small distillers and brewers detrimentally affected by COVID-19 and boost Australia’s craft brewing industry.

DROUGHT

A $212.2 million package over the next four years will support farmers and communities to continue to manage drought.

The Future Drought Fund will receive $172.5 million over the next four years to continue programs and activities to support long-term drought resilience and help bolster primary producers, rural and regional communities, and their local governments.

Another $25 million over the next year will extend the On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme.

DISASTER RECOVERY

A new national agency will support local communities to respond to large-scale natural disasters and address the impact of future events and climate change.

A $1.2 billion package over the next five years will help improve Australia’s capability to prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters.

Emergency Management Australia in the Department of Home Affairs will co-ordinate Responses to national emergencies and a new National Recovery and Resilience Agency will focus on resilience to and recovery from hazards and disasters.

The Rural Financial Counselling Service will get an $8.5 million boost to improve service for primary producers experiencing financial hardship, as well as extended support for rural and regional small businesses affected by drought, COVID-19 and the 2020 bushfires.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Josh Frydenberg’s Federal Budget also revealed $85.7 million in financial assistance for SA local councils, including $22.4 million specifically committed to local roads.

“This cash injection will give councils immediate access to funds to help manage the cumulative impacts of drought, bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic,” Treasury officials said.

Major council projects will be funded under a nationwide fund.

“Funding under the Financial Assistance Grant program is paid through state governments to local governments.

“Both funding components are untied and can be spent according to each local government’s own priorities.”