SA Election 2018: Transport Minister Stephen Mullighan says Labor’s infrastructure splurge won’t put budget into deficit

LABOR plans to keep the State Budget in surplus despite a $2 billion campaign infrastructure splurge.

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LABOR plans to keep the State Budget in surplus despite a $2 billion campaign infrastructure splurge.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan on Tuesday told FiveAA Radio that the State Government had worked hard to get the Budget “back in black” and planned to keep it there.

In the last fortnight, the Government has pledged to eliminate seven level crossings and run trams to Norwood and North Adelaide while also committing to a deep sea port in the Spencer Gulf.

Premier Jay Weatherill has previously been coy about whether Labor’s final costings document, expected in the days prior to the March 17 state election, would go into deficit to pay for promises.

SA Infrastructure and Transport Stephen Mullighan Minister and SA Premier Jay Weatherill. Picture: Russell Millard/AAP

Mr Mullighan on Tuesday said he has been lucky to belong to a government that had “doubled down on our infrastructure investment” while also reporting a set of balanced state books.

“We’ve done it because we know it provides an important boost to jobs during construction … but the benefits for the long-term speak for themselves in terms of improved road infrastructure,” he said.

“I’m lucky to have a Premier and a Treasurer that’s always managed to find room.”

“We’ve managed to keep the Budget in the black and the Treasurer will be showing how we do that with these additional works in future years when he releases our election costings. “We’ve certainly made sure that we’ve kept the Budget in the back and that we can pay for these sorts of infrastructure works. I think that’s important to demonstrate to the public how we can do that.”

Artist impressions of the tram on The Parade in Norwood

Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis in 2016 delivered Labor’s first surplus since the global financial crisis, turning the Budget around from a $1 billion deficit handed down by Premier Jay Weatherill.

Labor has also undertaken a major privatization push in the past four years, with about $4 billion delivered from selling Motor Accident Commission assets and the Lands Titles Office.

It follows earlier sales of forest harvesting rights and SA Lotteries.

In Mr Koutsantonis’ December Budget update, he projected thin surpluses between now and 2021. They are to be delivered in part by a $370 million “efficiency dividend”, that required chief executives of State Government departments to find savings. The Liberals also plan to use an efficiency dividend in their costings, with the size of their planned savings currently unknown.

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